Officials: Ohio man made several tries to find child for sex

In this Friday, Jan. 29, 2016 photo provided by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), former Columbus, Ohio, seminarian Joel Wright, second left, is arrested at San Diego’s airport in San Diego on federal charges for allegedly seeking to have sex with infant and young girls in Mexico. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement via AP

COLUMBUS, Ohio, United States—A criminal complaint against a former Ohio seminarian accused of attempting to have sex with young children in Mexico details alleged previous efforts to obtain access to small children.

Twenty-three-year-old Joel Wright was arrested Friday by Homeland Security agents after flying to San Diego from Columbus, Ohio, where he attended seminary school. Officials at Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus say Wright has been expelled.

The complaint says Wright went to Mexico in July 2014 in an unsuccessful bid to adopt a child. Authorities say a year later he communicated with the same person in Mexico and eventually revealed he wanted to have sex with children.

Homeland Security began investigating the Vermont native in November.

Wright’s mother says she doesn’t believe the allegations. Wright is expected to be in court Monday.

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