Naughton, 34, appeared before US District Judge Edward Rafeedie in Los Angeles and, as part of a plea agreement with the US attorney's office, admitted that he traveled from Seattle to Los Angeles last September with a "dominant purpose" to engage in sexual acts with "KrisLA," an online chat buddy he believed was a 13-year-old girl. KrisLA was actually an undercover FBI agent.
As a part of the plea agreement, the government agreed to dismiss two other charges against Naughton -- using the Internet to induce a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity and possession of child pornography.
Rafeedie is scheduled to sentence Naughton, currently free on US$100,000 bail, on June 5.
US Attorney Alejandro N. Mayorkas issued a warning to "those who peddle in the abuse of children" after Naughton's latest court appearance: "We will apprehend you, by way of our undercover operations or otherwise, we will prosecute you, and we will convict you."
On Dec. 16, a trial jury found Naughton guilty of possessing child porn, but deadlocked on the more serious charge of traveling interstate with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity with a minor. Naughton was set to face a retrial on March 21.
Naughton was caught in a law enforcement sting run by the Sexual Assault and Exploitation Felony Enforcement Team.
He had corresponded with an FBI agent masquerading as KrisLA in the dad&daughtersex chat room and was arrested on the Santa Monica Pier on Sept. 16, 1999, when he showed up for a meeting.
During the mistrial, Naughton claimed he thought the person he was corresponding with was an adult because so many people role-play in chat rooms.
