NJ man sent to prison, tried to meet underage girl in Plymouth for sex

NORRISTOWN — A New Jersey man with “a secret side, a dark side” was sent to prison for trying to meet what he thought was an underage girl in Plymouth Township for sex, but unknowingly he was communicating with a undercover state agent who conducted Internet investigations of people who commit crimes against children.

Sarann ​​Noun, 40, of Pennsauken, NJ, was sentenced in Montgomery County Circuit Court to 4 to 8 years in a state correctional facility after pleading guilty to felony charges of unlawful contact with a minor and attempted involuntary deviant sexual contact with a related minor. with incidents that took place between January and November 2023.

Judge Wendy G. Rothstein ordered Noun to complete three years of probation consecutive to parole, meaning Noun will be under court supervision for 11 years.

Several friends and relatives came to court to support Noun and asked the judge to show leniency, suggesting his behavior was out of character and that they were shocked to learn of Noun’s behavior.

“There’s a different side to him, a secret side, a dark side … and there have to be consequences,” Rothstein said.

Noun, who testimony revealed had a sex addiction, also faces a lifetime requirement to report his address to police to comply with Pennsylvania’s Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.

The judge added that Noun is prohibited from engaging in unsupervised conduct with minors, his internet use will be monitored and he is prohibited from using social media while under court supervision.

“I am ashamed and embarrassed and take full responsibility for my actions,” Noun told the judge before learning his fate. “I never had an attraction to a minor. I let my sex addiction get the best of my judgment. I’m sorry.”

Noun was arrested during an undercover Internet investigation by the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office.

Assistant Attorney General Madelyn Abry argued for a state prison sentence for Noun, noting that when he went to meet what he thought was a 13-year-old girl, he brought with him Swedish fish candy that he asked the undercover agent who gave as a child.

“It is a disturbing fact. These facts are extremely, extremely worrying. The defendant is a danger to the community,” argued Abry.

But defense attorney Andrew Alston argued that Noun had no criminal record and that a sentence of house arrest and electronic monitoring would protect the community. Relatives and friends of Alston and Noun said Noun is married, is the primary caregiver for his elderly father and is needed at home.

“He is not a danger to the community. He deserves a second chance, your honor,” Alston argued, adding that Noun is “ashamed and humiliated” and committed to a program of treatment and therapy that he has already undertaken.

Alston argued that Noun’s Internet communications with the undercover agent began when Noun, as part of his impulsive sexual behavior, visited a website associated with adult prostitution.

“He was looking for adult prostitution. He is addicted to sex with adult prostitutes. Mr. Noun is addicted to sex. He is not a sexual predator of children,” Alston argued, suggesting that state agents “took a sex addict and set enough traps.” “There is never a real child here.”

Judge Rothstein responded that law enforcement operations are necessary to curb people who try to have sex with minors.

According to court documents, in January 2023, an undercover agent impersonated an adult woman on a website known for soliciting prostitution and allegedly offered her 13-year-old daughter for sex.

Over the course of nine months, the undercover agent texted Noun, who offered to pay $200 in exchange for having sex with the 13-year-old girl at a predetermined location in Plymouth Township, according to the criminal complaint filed by Brian King. , a special agent with the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office.

Between November 3 and November 16, 2023, the undercover agent assumed the role of the 13-year-old girl and communicated with Noun via a social media app. During the communications, Noun “admitted that he understood the alleged minor’s age to be 13 and continued to communicate,” King said, adding that during the text communication, Noun explained that he wanted to engage in sexual activity with the alleged minor .

At 8:30 p.m., Nov. 16, Noun arrived at the prearranged meeting location along Lee Drive in the Plymouth Meeting section of Plymouth Township and was taken into custody without incident.

While being interviewed by state agents, Noun admitted to communicating with what he believed to be an adult woman whom he agreed to pay $200 to have sex with her teenage daughter and then having communications of the nature sexual with the alleged minor.

At the time he was taken into custody, Noun had two $100 bills and a bag of Swedish fish candy.

“Noun admitted the candy was for the alleged minor. It should be noted that the juvenile suspect requested that this exact candy be brought during the meeting,” King said. “At the end of the interview, Noun explained that what he did was wrong.”

Rothstein said Noun “wanted the plan to go through.”

“You went there with money and candy with the intention of having sex with a minor. Your intent was to target a minor,” Rothstein told Noun.

Several of Noun’s relatives wept as sheriff’s deputies escorted Noun from the courtroom in handcuffs to begin serving the sentence. Noun would not comment to a reporter about the sentence as he was led away.

Originally published: August 29, 2024 at 11:45 am