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Seminary student arrested in California en route to Mexico to have sex with child, authorities say

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Federal authorities say an Ohio seminary student has been arrested in California on suspicion of intending to travel to Mexico to have sex with a toddler or baby.

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Immigration and Customs Enforcement said in a statement that 23-year-old Joel Wright was taken into custody after getting off a plane in San Diego.

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Authorities say he had written emails to an undercover agent posing as a travel guide that he wanted to adopt or purchase a female child under age 3 in Tijuana, Mexico, for the purposes of having sex with her.

He is scheduled to be arraigned Monday.

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Wright attends Pontifical College Josephinum, a Roman Catholic college in Columbus. A school spokesman, the Rev. John Allen, told the Columbus Dispatch that the college community was “shocked and saddened” at the “reprehensible” allegations. Wright has been expelled.

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