An ex-Westchester County legislative aide was charged Monday with allegedly trying to lure a teen girl into sex – two weeks after a sting video documenting the disturbing allegations came to light.
Anand Singh, 33, was arrested Monday for allegedly trying to meet up with someone he thought was a 14-year-old girl across state lines in New Jersey, the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York announced.
Singh was featured in a video posted on YouTube by a catch-a-predator group on April 13 that allegedly shows him sending lewd texts to the teen decoy before trying to meet the girl inside a Newark apartment building.
Back in December 2022, when the undercover operation took place, Singh repeatedly expressed in graphic and clear terms that he wanted to have sex with the purported minor, prosecutors said.
After Singh was told by the girl she was only 14, he originally said that was “too young,” but then a minute later messaged “I bet you’re f—kin fun to be with,” according to the criminal complaint.
He also suggested to the decoy “[m]aybe we can get a motel or something” among other more sexually explicit messages, the feds said.
Singh also promised to bring Plan B birth control and numerous sex toys before he finally reached the Newark apartment building just after midnight on Dec. 17, 2022, authorities alleged.
“Today’s arrest is a reminder of the inherent danger the internet could potentially pose to our youth and the critical importance to protect them from online predators,” US Attorney Damian Williams said in a statement.
Singh was charged with one count of attempted enticement of a minor. If guilty, he’d face a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison.
Singh was fired from his government job on April 13 when the sting video came out.
Singh’s lawyer Kevin Conway told The Journal News his client “remains innocent at this stage of the proceedings.”
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“We look forward to investigating the allegations on his behalf,” Conway said.
The allegations have rocked Westchester’s Board of Legislators over the last couple weeks.
Lawmakers accused now-former board chair Catherine Borgia of not doing enough when she was made aware of a possible damning video allegedly featuring Singh in December.
Borgia previously said she contacted the county’s Department of Public Safety to investigate, and they could not substantiate the existence of a video before it was shared on YouTube in April.
Her Democratic colleagues called on her to resign, which Borgia resisted.
She even sued the rest of the board when they moved to hold a vote to remove her from the leadership post last Wednesday.
She finally stepped down Friday after a judge ruled against her and as her colleagues were preparing to oust her.
She is now just a legislator until her term ends at the end of this year.
Borgia in part blamed “institutional misogyny” for her forced departure even though six of her 16 colleagues are women and the person taking over for her – at least temporarily – is a woman.
“Regardless of party affiliation, County Legislators worked together to protect Board staff, prioritize the Board’s important work, and restore integrity for the people of Westchester,” the board said in a statement after Borgia resigned.
