BROOKVILLE, Pa. (EYT) – A New Jersey man faces criminal charges, including multiple felonies, after allegedly attempting to meet who he believed was a 15-year-old girl for sexual activity in Jefferson County.
According to Brookville Borough Police, Cristian Garcia, 30, of Lincoln Park, N.J., was arrested at a Sheetz in Brookville around 3:50 p.m. on March 7 following an investigation involving “814 Pred Hunters,” a citizens’ group that assists law enforcement by posing as minors online.
The criminal complaint states Garcia engaged in sexually explicit conversations with someone he thought was a 15-year-old female between February 25 and March 7, 2025. Police say Garcia arranged to transport the minor to Buffalo, New York, for sexual activity.
According to the affidavit, when the decoy initially told Garcia she was 15, he allegedly responded that he wanted to wait until she was 16 “for legal reasons.” However, police say he continued to engage in sexually explicit conversations and ultimately made plans to meet.
Police say Garcia discussed having the minor take a Greyhound bus to meet him in Buffalo, where he claimed to be staying at a hotel for work. He allegedly told the decoy to pack a “spend the weekend bag” and emphasized keeping their meeting “a secret.”
The criminal complaint indicates Garcia also sent photos of Corona beer that he planned to provide to the minor during their meeting.
Garcia faces the following charges:
- Statutory Sexual Assault (Felony 1)
- Involuntary Deviate Sexual Intercourse with Person Less Than 16 (Felony 1)
- Aggravated Indecent Assault (Felony 2)
- Corruption of Minors (Felony 3)
- Criminal Use of Communication Facility (Felony 3)
- Indecent Assault (Misdemeanor 2)
- Furnishing Alcohol to Minors (Misdemeanor 3)
He was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Gregory M. Bazylak and remains in Jefferson County Prison, unable to post $80,000 bail.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 24 at 1:45 p.m.
Chief of Police Vince Markle initially assigned the investigation to Officer Bryce Rafferty on March 6 after receiving information from Brian Knepp, the organizer of “814 Pred Hunters.”
EDITOR’S NOTE 1: Extreme graphic details were not included due to the sexual nature of the alleged crimes.
