Indian On Student Visa Sentenced 12 Years For Sexual Enticement Of Minor

India-West Staff Reporter

ERIE, PA – An Indian national residing here on a student visa has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison for attempting to entice a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity, US Attorney Eric G. Olshan said.

Upendra Aduru, 32, was sentenced by District Judge Susan Paradise Baxter. In addition to his prison term, Aduru will be subject to 10 years of supervised release following his incarceration.

The conviction stems from an investigation that revealed Aduru’s communication with an undercover detective posing as a thirteen-year-old girl between September 20 and October 6, 2022.

Using social media, Aduru repeatedly expressed his intent to engage in sexual activities with the purported minor and sent several images of adult pornography to the detective. His intentions escalated to arranging a meeting with the supposed teenager at a park in Millcreek Township, where he was subsequently arrested. A search of Aduru’s phone confirmed the incriminating social media communications.

This case falls under the Project Safe Childhood initiative, a nationwide program launched by the Department of Justice to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. The initiative coordinates federal, state, and local resources to apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children sexually and to identify and rescue victims.

Olshan emphasized the significance of such efforts in protecting vulnerable minors from predators. “This sentence reflects the seriousness of the crime and our unwavering commitment to safeguarding children from exploitation,” Olshan stated.