Federal authorities report that a 29-year-old man traveled to Norway to engage in illegal sexual activity with a 14-year-old girl and later discussed the acts online.
NEW JERSEY – A Toms River resident has pleaded guilty to traveling overseas to engage in sexual activity with a minor, according to Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba.
Jacob Bauer, 29, admitted in federal court to one count of engaging in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign country. He entered his plea before U.S. District Judge Robert Kirsch and will be sentenced on January 21, 2026. The offense carries a maximum of 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
Incident Details
Court documents and public statements show that Bauer, then 27, traveled from the United States to Norway between December 1 and December 10, 2023, where he engaged in sexual conduct with a 14-year-old girl. He allegedly committed the acts at a hotel and then returned to the United States.
After coming back, Bauer used social media to discuss his activities with the minor. Prosecutors say he acknowledged the victim’s age and described his actions in detail during these online conversations. Members of an online community he belonged to reportedly discovered his comments and “doxxed” him by publicly sharing his personal information.
A coordinated international investigation led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and multiple domestic and foreign law enforcement agencies followed. Authorities credited assistance from:
-
New Brunswick Police Department
-
Manchester Township Police Department
-
FBI Legal Attaché Offices at U.S. Embassies in Copenhagen, Denmark, and Warsaw, Poland
-
INTERPOL
-
Norwegian Police (Troms District and NC3 KRIPOS)
-
Poland’s Policja CBZC, Central Cybercrime Bureau
-
Jackson County, Georgia Sheriff’s Office
The prosecution falls under Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative launched in 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. The program unites federal, state, and local agencies to investigate and prosecute crimes involving the sexual exploitation of minors, especially those facilitated through digital platforms.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Garelick from the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Trenton is prosecuting the case.
This article has been carefully fact-checked by our editorial team to ensure accuracy and eliminate any misleading information. We are committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity in our content.
