Australian charged with sex offense in Puerto Rico

By The Associated Press

Created: Thursday, June 25, 2009 8:41 p.m. CDT

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — An Australian man authorities say was arrested at a hotel in Puerto Rico with a teenage girl has been charged with federal sex offenses.

Tito Andrea Odierna Manfredi is accused of traveling to the U.S. Caribbean territory to have sexual relations with a 14-year-old girl he met over the Internet.

The 23-year-old from Queensland, Australia, was charged Thursday with offenses including inducing a minor to have sexual relations, which carries a sentence of up to life in prison.

He was arrested Wednesday in the northern coastal city of Arecibo after the girl's family reported her missing. He does not yet have a lawyer.

Prosecutor Jose Capo Iriarte said the Australian Embassy in Washington has been notified of the arrest.

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