A shocking incident unfolded at Emmanuel College in Boston recently, as a former assistant admissions director, Jacob Henriques, was arrested on Friday for allegedly soliciting an underage applicant for sex. The Justice Department has charged Henriques, 29, with one count of attempted sex trafficking of a minor after he used his position at the college to gain access to personal information of admitted and prospective students, and attempted to solicit them for sex.
According to a news release from the U.S. attorney’s office for the District of Massachusetts, Henriques was found to have contacted at least three students on April 25, offering to “pay them for some fun” and sending explicit videos or images in some cases. He also targeted a fourth victim, a 17-year-old student who had committed to attending the college. Prosecutors revealed that Henriques had taken the victim on a tour of the college and later began texting her using the phone number from her admissions form. He offered to pay her $400 for “some fun” and sent inappropriate material, continuing to contact her despite her refusals.
The alarming behavior continued as Henriques repeatedly accessed the victim’s admissions profile and sent her multiple pornographic videos. Even after she blocked his number, he persisted in contacting her through email. Emmanuel College took swift action by firing Henriques, initiating an investigation, and cooperating with law enforcement. The college expressed deep sadness, anger, and shock at the serious federal allegations against their former employee.
A profile of Henriques on the college’s website described him as a recent graduate and an avid Boston sports fan. It highlighted his appreciation for the small class sizes at Emmanuel College, which allowed for meaningful connections between students and faculty. If convicted, Henriques could face a sentence ranging from 10 years to life in prison. He is scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in Boston on Monday to face the charges.
This disturbing incident serves as a reminder of the importance of safeguarding vulnerable individuals, especially within educational institutions. It also underscores the need for stringent background checks and oversight in hiring practices to prevent such misconduct from occurring in the future.
