A New Jersey man accused of traveling to Norway to have sex with a 14-year-old girl is facing federal charges after he was doxxed by Discord users intent on exposing his alleged criminal behavior.
Jacob Bauer allegedly made the 3,600-mile trek from his home in Toms River for an overseas trip from Dec.1, 2023 to Dec.10, 2023. According to a criminal complaint obtained by NJ Advanced Media, the 27-year-old suspect checked into a hotel in Norway on Dec. 6 through Dec. 9, during which time he had sex with the teen victim at least once.
Upon his return to the U.S., Bauer continued to communicate with the girl through several social media platforms including Discord, where they allegedly discussed their sexual activities. He also told others about meeting up with the 14-year-old overseas, the U.S. Attorney’s Office District of New Jersey said.
“During those conversations, Bauer acknowledged the victim’s age and status as a minor,” it said.
Eventually, a pair of Discord users caught wind of Bauer’s claims and doxxed him, an online act that involves publicly identifying and publishing private information, usually as a form of punishment or revenge. Federal prosecutors noted that the info dump, the details of which were later obtained by the FBI, helped authorities arrest Bauer earlier this year.
U.S. Attorney Alina Habba called Bauer’s conduct “as reprehensible as it is egregious” while announcing the charges against him on Wednesday. He’s facing counts including traveling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct and engaging in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign country.
“These charges underscore how we are standing up for the most vulnerable and will not tolerate the sexual abuse of children,” Habba said. “I commend our partners at the Federal Bureau of Investigation, law enforcement members at the state and local levels, and our international partners who assisted with this investigation.”
