Plumas County Man Sentenced for Attempting to Entice a Minor for Sex

SACRAMENTO, CA—United States District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller sentenced Larry Gorbet Jr., 33, of Chester, to 10 years in prison, to be followed by 20 years of supervised release, for attempting to entice a minor to engage in unlawful sex acts, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.

According to court documents, on September 25, 2011, Gorbet met with his female 14-year-old cousin and her friend, a 13-year-old girl within the city of Susanville. During that meeting, Gorbet provided the girls marijuana and talked about the prospects of the 13-year-old girl becoming his girlfriend. Thereafter, Gorbet began to text his cousin about establishing a relationship with her friend. When Gorbet’s texts were brought to the attention of local police, a detective received permission to use the girl’s cellphone to further investigate Gorbet.

Posing as the girl, the detective began exchanging many text messages with Gorbet. Gorbet eventually indicated in explicit terms that he wanted to be her boyfriend and engage in sex acts with her. The undercover detective arranged a meeting at the 13-year-old girl’s house on October 20, 2011. When Gorbet stepped into the house, police officers arrested him.

According to court documents, Gorbet brought with him a digital camera with video recording capability, a tripod for the camera, and marijuana. Gorbet claimed that he came to Susanville to talk the girl into waiting to have sex until she was at least 14 years of age, but that he knew there was a chance they would have sex on October 20, 2011.

In sentencing Gorbet, Judge Mueller said that the nature of the crime and his criminal history led her to hope that he uses the time in prison and under post-release supervision to reflect on his actions.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Susanville Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Morris and former Assistant United States Attorney Laurel White prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “Resources” tab for information about Internet safety education.