Commercial Airline Pilot Charged with Traveling to Have Sex with Minor

WHEELING, WV—A commercial airline pilot has been arrested on a federal charge of traveling across state lines in order to have sex with a minor female.

United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II announced today that Mustafa Momoun Bazbaz, 28 years of age, of Oakdale, Pennsylvania, was arrested and charged with traveling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct.” Bazbaz is presently in custody and is being held at the West Virginia Northern Regional Jail pending a detention hearing.

According to Ihlenfeld, Bazbaz began communicating with a 15-year-old female from Jefferson County, Ohio, in December 2013 via the website known as MeetMe.com. It is alleged that Bazbaz misrepresented his age and name to the victim, claiming to be 17 years old and to be named “Mike B.” It also alleged that Bazbaz sent sexually explicit images of himself to the victim before arranging to pick up the victim near her home in Jefferson County in December 2013. The complaint asserts that Bazbaz then took the victim to a hotel room in Hancock County, where he engaged in sexual intercourse with her. The matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Hancock County (West Virginia) Sheriff’s Department. This prosecution of the case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Robert H. McWilliams, Jr.

Bazbaz faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. The charge is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.