Emmanuel College admissions employee arrested for soliciting teen applicant for sex

An Emmanuel College admissions officer has been arrested for allegedly soliciting sex from a 17-year-old applicant to the college, according to federal prosecutors.

The U.S. attorney's office for Massachusetts said on Friday that 29-year-old Jacob Henriques, of Boston, has been charged with attempted sex trafficking of a minor. He is set to appear in court on May 5.

Henriques allegedly used his position as the assistant admissions director at the Catholic college in Boston to access personal information about prospective students and contacted at least four of them to solicit sex.

The U.S. attorney's office said on April 25, Henriques met with multiple prospective or committed students, later contacting three of them and offering to “pay them for some fun.” He allegedly offered to provide the students with pornography, and sent pornographic videos and pictures to some students. Officials say Henriques also sent a fourth student similar messages after she committed to the college on April 25.

One of the victims was a 17-year-old prospective student, who was taken on a campus tour by Henriques. He allegedly viewed her personal information ahead of the meeting, which included her date of birth, and asked what grade she was in while on tour.

Hours later, Henriques allegedly began contacting the student using her personal phone number that he took from her admissions materials. He reportedly offered her $400 for “some fun.” Henriques allegedly continued messaging her throughout the evening, refusing to tell her how he got her phone number, and sending her five pornographic videos.

After the minor rejected Henriques' offers multiple times and blocked his phone number, officials say Henriques began soliciting her via email. The U.S. attorney's office said he accessed her school profile 47 times between April 25 and April 28.

In a statement, a spokesperson for Emmanuel said the college is "saddened, angered, and shocked" by the allegations.

"Because the safety and well-being of all is our highest priority, and consistent with established policies, we took strong action upon learning of this issue, immediately contacting law enforcement and launching an investigation that led to the prompt termination of the individual," the college spokesperson said in the statement. "We have cooperated fully with authorities from the moment this matter came to our attention and will continue to do so."

Henriques faces a sentence of up to life in prison, with a minimum sentence of 10 years, according to federal officials.