OCALA, Fla. – An Indian national has pleaded guilty to attempting to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity, but instead engaged in a sexually explicit conversation with the undercover Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Orlando special agent.
Kirtan Patel, 24, faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, between May 22-24, 2024, Patel communicated online with someone whom he believed was a 13-year-old girl. The child, however, was an undercover HSI Orlando special agent. Ultimately, Patel was arrested when he traveled to a location in Marion County to engage in sexual activity with the child.
This case was investigated by HSI Orlando and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
HSI Tampa area of responsibility, which includes ten geographically strategic offices, covers more than 51,600 square miles of the total 65,757 square miles in the state of Florida. This region has more than 14.2 million people and includes 58 of the 67 counties. HSI Tampa also includes five of the ten largest cities in Florida, 15 primary commercial service airports, and 11 seaports.
To report any information about human trafficking, child sexual abuse, or the trafficking in child sexual abuse material contact the HSI Tip Line at 1-877-4HSI-TIP, or report it through the CyberTipline on the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children's website.
Learn more about HSI Tampa’s mission to increase public safety in Florida communities on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @HSITampa.