A high-profile transgender activist in New York City was reportedly arrested and charged for soliciting a minor.
Lailani Muniz, a NYC-based transgender and HIV activist, allegedly corresponded with someone posing as a 14-year-old boy on the LGBT dating app Grindr, according to a criminal complaint obtained by Fox News.
In reality, “Josh” was a made-up person. A grown man, who was only identified as FM, was running the account. He works at a nonprofit called NY Creeps Spotlight, which exposes pedophiles (via Fox News):
Muniz, 39, began messaging with "Josh" in March and had acknowledged the supposed teenager’s young age before soliciting oral sex, according to the criminal complaint. The criminal complaint states "Josh" identified as a girl, but FM told Fox News Digital he was posing as a teenaged boy.
"I’m about to shower brb. Np. What u looking for and into. Are u cutting school and looking for company lol. Are u into guys and trans girls? Any xxx pixs," Muniz responded to "Josh" when asked if Muniz cared if he was only 14 years old, according to the criminal complaint.
"I can’t front, I am nervous," Muniz wrote in another message to "Josh," according to screenshots posted to the Creeps Spotlight Facebook page. "I watch too much TV [because] I know you’re young, it reminds me of that show To Catch a Predator where they set people up attracted to minors."
Muniz arranged to meet with “Josh” and followed through with it. Instead, Muniz was met with FM, and the encounter was posted on the NY Creeps Spotlight YouTube channel last week.
The 20-minute-long video shows police officers arresting Muniz. Fox noted that in the criminal complaint, Muniz admitted that the conversation got “sexual” and “racy” and that “Josh” asked him to “bring condoms” to their meet-up.
Reportedly, Muniz is facing five charges, including attempted forcible touching, attempted endangering the welfare of a child and attempted sexual misconduct.
Muniz was honored this year during a pride flag raising ceremony in New York.
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