Providence Reporter

PROVIDENCE, RI – A Warwick man admitted to a federal judge today that he traveled to a local hotel via a commercial rideshare provider with the intent of having illicit sex with a person he thought to be 13 years old, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.

Zachary Q. Baker pleaded guilty to a charge of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. He is scheduled to be sentenced on October 3, 2024. The defendant’s sentence will be determined by a federal district court judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

In pleading guilty, Baker admitted that, on March 10, 2023, he responded to an online advertisement for “escorts” that contained images of what appeared to be two young females being offered for a “short visit” and a “little fun.” Baker engaged in a lengthy series of text messages with a person he believed was offering a 13-year-old and an 11-year-old for sex for a fee.

After several hours of text messaging, Baker rode to a local hotel via a rideshare where he met with the person he believed was arranging for a sexual encounter with one or both of the girls. The person he was communicating with and whom he met was, in fact, a Homeland Security Investigations agent. Baker was arrested after acknowledging to an undercover agent that he was the person who engaged in the conversations with the agent and that he wanted to have sex with the 13-year-old girl for a fee.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul F. Daly, Jr.

The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.