HAMMOND—United States Attorney David A. Capp announced today that a criminal complaint was filed against Brendan Theodore Coetzee, 27, of Johannesburg, South Africa for travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor.

According to documents filed in the case, Coetzee, a carnival worker, met a female under the age of 14 at a carnival in Wisconsin over this past Memorial Day weekend. Coetzee and the minor maintained some contact thereafter via social media. On June 22, 2015, Coetzee, who was then in Northwest Indiana, arranged for the minor to meet him at a motel in Lansing, Illinois, where he allegedly had sexual intercourse with the minor.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the Lansing, Illinois and Munster, Indiana Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Toi D. Houston.

The United States Attorney’s Office emphasized that a Complaint is merely an allegation and that all persons charged are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.

If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.