New York man accused of traveling to Massachusetts to rape 13-year-old girl

A New York man has been busted by the feds for allegedly traveling to Massachusetts to rape a 13-year-old girl.

Queens man Andre Jamal Bennett, 33, was charged with interstate travel to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor.

Bennett — who’s employed by Delta Air Lines as a ground controller at JFK International Airport — allegedly created social media accounts using the fictitious name “Chris.”

Using the accounts, he’s accused of falsely presenting himself as a 16-year-old boy to contact the girl.

Then Bennett last November took a flight from New York City to Boston. Upon landing in Boston, Bennett allegedly contacted the girl, told her that he was in the area, and coerced her into meeting him in person.

When Bennett met the girl, who still believed he was a 16-year-old boy, Bennett allegedly wore a hooded sweatshirt that concealed his face.

“According to the charging documents, Bennett then brought the minor victim to a hotel and raped her,” the Massachusetts U.S. Attorney’s office wrote. “Bennett also allegedly recorded the sexual assault on his phone.

“Following the encounter, Bennett allegedly continued to contact the minor victim through social media over the course of several months and sought to entice her to meet with him again, including by offering to pay her,” the feds added. “The minor victim refused.”

Bennett was arrested on Monday in the Eastern District of New York, and remained detained pending a future hearing.

The charge of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct can lead to a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, at least five years, and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.

This case is being brought as part of “Project Safe Childhood.” In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse.

Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who allegedly exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims.