An 18-year-old from Rhode Island pleaded no contest Wednesday to charges he flew to Southern California to have sex with a 12-year-old girl who lived in Palmdale.
Joel Rivera entered a plea of no contest to one count each of meeting a minor for lewd purposes, distributing or showing pornography to a minor and contact with a minor for sexual purposes, according to a news release from the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
Rivera began contacting the Palmdale girl using an anonymous webcam chatting app last August, Deputy DA Jon Hatami said.
The two exchanged sexually explicit images for nearly a month through various messaging apps, according to Hatami.
When the girl’s mother became aware of Rivera’s plans, she contacted the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Rivera was arrested as he arrived at Burbank Bob Hope Airport.
Sentencing was scheduled for April 15.