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TRENTON, N.J. - A Burlington County man and former Air Force captain was found guilty July 17 of trying to entice and send obscene material to someone he thought was a 14-year-old girl, officials say.
Jury convicts Air Force captain after undercover operation
Gabriel Perez, 31, of Eastampton, was convicted after a five-day trial in Camden federal court. Prosecutors said Perez communicated with an undercover officer posing as a 14-year-old girl on social media in August 2024.
Within a day of learning the supposed girl’s age, Perez expressed interest in meeting her for sex.
Perez sent an obscene photo of himself on August 28, 2024, and arranged to meet the next day, according to court documents.
He was arrested at the meeting location with condoms in his pocket.
The backstory:
Perez was a captain in the United States Air Force at the time of the offenses.
Law enforcement from the Air Force Office of Special Investigation, the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Eastampton Police Department were credited with the investigation.
Assistant United States Attorneys Matt Belgiovine and Richard Shephard prosecuted the case. The case was part of Project Safe Childhood, a national initiative launched in 2006 to fight child exploitation.
Project Safe Childhood brings together federal, state and local resources to find and prosecute people who exploit children and to help identify and rescue victims.
The initiative was launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 and is led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section.
What's next:
Perez faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and could get up to life for attempted enticement and coercion of a minor. He also faces up to 10 years for attempted transfer of obscene material, with each offense carrying a possible $250,000 fine.
Sentencing is set for December 9, 2026.
What we don't know:
Details about Perez’s defense or statements from his legal team were not included.
It is not clear if Perez will appeal the conviction.
The Source: Information from the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey.