Emmanuel College Admissions Director Arrested for Alleged Sex Trafficking of Minor

A former admissions director at Emmanuel College in Boston has been arrested on charges of attempting to sex traffic a minor, federal officials announced Friday. JACOB HENRIQUES, 29, allegedly used his position to access the personal information of prospective students and offered one 17-year-old girl $400 in exchange for sex.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts, HENRIQUES met with at least three prospective students on April 25 and later contacted them with offers to pay for sexual acts, as well as sending them explicit content. He allegedly targeted a fourth victim after she committed to attending the college, offering her money and sending her pornographic videos.

Federal officials detailed that HENRIQUES contacted the 17-year-old girl within hours of her campus tour on April 25. Using her phone number from her admissions form, he allegedly texted her offers of $400 for “some fun” and sent her five pornographic videos. Despite her repeated rejections, HENRIQUES persisted, asking if she wanted to participate in a gangbang and offering to buy her anything she desired if she changed her mind.

Between April 25 and April 28, HENRIQUES allegedly accessed the girl’s profile 47 times. After she blocked his number, he began emailing her, officials said. He has been charged with one count of attempted sex trafficking of a minor and faces up to life in prison if convicted.

Emmanuel College confirmed that HENRIQUES has been terminated following an internal investigation. A spokesperson expressed the institution’s dismay, stating, “We are saddened, angered, and shocked by these serious federal allegations that have been brought against a former employee. They are an affront to our core values, and we stand with any victimized by this incident.”

HENRIQUES is scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in Boston on Monday. The FBI’s Boston Division Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force is investigating to identify other potential victims who may have been targeted by HENRIQUES between 2024 and 2025.

[Sources: U.S. Attorney’s Office, Massachusetts; WBZ-TV]