By Dan Murphy
Editor’s Note: After posting the following story below on the arrest of 40-year old John Lord, we received emails from readers who had prior knowledge of Lord. One came from a possible victim in Massachusetts, who found Lord on a Social Media site seeking out young boys. This person emailed us a screen shot of Mr. Lord in July, just weeks before he came to Westchester allegedly for a sex encounter with a 15-year old boy.
Thanks to an observant mother, a 40-year-old Arizona man is under arrest for engaging in sexual acts with a 15-year-old Westchester boy. US Attorney Damian Williams announced the arrest of John Lord, with persuading, inducing, enticing, and coercing a 15-year-old minor to engage in sexual activity.
According to the criminal complaint, the mother of the 15-year-old boy went to the Bedford Police Department to report that on Aug. 30 she went looking for her son and found him with Lord in a wooded area in Katonah. Lord was naked and the boy had just his underwear on.
The mother recorded the incident on her cell phone; Lord grabbed his clothes and escaped, but not before the mother took a picture of his license plate.
The mother and son then reported the incident to Bedford Police, with the boy explaining that he had met Lord online (Snapchat), and that he had met Lord on three prior occasions and on each occasion they engaged in a sex act.
A search of the boy’s phone by Bedford Police found text messages incriminating Lord, and the fact that the boy told him that he was 15 years old.
Lord was arrested by the Putnam County Sheriff’s office and during his interrogation he said he thought the victim was of age. Lord was charged in White Plains Federal Court.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “This case underlines the urgent need for law enforcement to continue its efforts to protect children from those who prey on them. As this arrest shows, we will use every tool available to law enforcement to investigate and prosecute those who sexually exploit children.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge James Smith said: “Lord’s alleged actions, enticing a vulnerable member of our society – a child – for sexual activity, are abhorrent. The FBI takes the alleged crime very seriously, we are tireless in our efforts to investigate and hold accountable any person who harms a child.”
Bedford Police Chief Melvin Padilla said: “The safety and security of our residents is our primary focus, and thanks to the diligent work of our officers and the cooperation and assistance from our federal partners, the defendant was quickly identified and apprehended.”
Mr. Williams stated that the investigation is ongoing. Mr. Williams requests that any individuals who may have encountered JOHN LORD or whose children may have had any communications with LORD to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or tips.fbi.gov.
