Rochester man accused of luring 13-year-old to hotel for sex

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — A 30-year-old Rochester accused of luring a child to a hotel for sex could face anywhere from 10 years to life in prison.

Jonathan Woody, 30, of Rochester, was charged with enticement of a minor. According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Rossi, Woody had sexually explicit online and text communications with a 13-year-old minor he met online in January 2024. According to Rossi, on Jan. 2 Woody paid for an Uber to take the child to a hotel in Greece, where he rented a room — and gave the minor alcohol and marijuana, and engaged in sexual acts with the minor.

The victim’s family called 911 to start a missing person investigation once they realized the child was missing. The child returned home on their own.

Woody made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Pedersen and was detained. If found guilty, he could face a minimum of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life in prison, and a $250,000 fine.

The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, Greece Police Department, and the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force investigated.