Louisiana man flies to NJ for sex with 14-year-old, gets prison

🚨 Contacted victim on social media app

🚨 Said he was worried about appearing on “To Catch a Predator”

🚨 He was arrested at Newark airport by undercover cop

TOMS RIVER — A Louisiana man who took a flight to New Jersey for a second sexual encounter with a teen girl in Ocean County has been sentenced to state prison.

Spencer Caudle, 36, was sentenced to seven years in prison in New Jersey on Friday.

The man from Prairieville, Louisiana, pleaded guilty in April to sexual assault, according to Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer.

Caudle will be placed under parole supervision for life and has been ordered not to have contact with the 14-year-old victim.

Chatted with Toms River teen on social media app

According to a criminal complaint, Caudle and the teenager began communicating over the Whisper app in April 2023. After a week, they moved the conversations to Snapchat.

Soon, their chats became sexual. The girl said to Caudle that she was only 14 years old but that didn’t stop him.

Caudle said he was nervous to appear on “To Catch a Predator” — the former Dateline NBC hosted by Chris Hanson — but on May 26, 2023, he still drove from Louisiana to New Jersey.

He met the 14-year-old girl at the Ocean County Mall, had dinner with her, and then brought her back to his room at the Clarion Hotel in Toms River for sexual activities, according to the complaint.

SEE ALSO: NJ man on fentanyl chewed off 78-year-old’s ear, face

While in his room, the girl’s sister called and asked where she was. The teen went to the bathroom and said she was at the hotel with a man she had met online. Her sister told her to leave and her family arrived at the Clarion soon after.

By the time police arrived, Caudle was already on the road back to La. The drive home from New Jersey took 18 hours.

Undercover cop catches perv

After Caudle narrowly dodged police in Toms River, he got a new Snapchat message from the girl’s account.

However, it was an undercover cop posing as the teen. The cop convinced Caudle to take a flight back to New Jersey for another encounter.

On June 16, Caudle was arrested at Newark Airport after taking a flight from New Orleans.

A search of his laptop found 10 images and five videos of child sexual abuse, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Report a correction 👈 | 👉 Contact our newsroom