A jury has convicted a man who was caught in a sting operation as he was trying to meet a teen from social media in person for sex.

Larry M. Noel, 49, of Stanhope, was found guilty of second-degree attempted sexual assault and luring as well as third-degree attempted endangering the welfare of a child and debauching the morals of a child, the state Attorney General’s Office said in a statement on Wednesday.

On April 11, 2019, an undercover officer who was posing as 14-year-old girl on a social media app received a message from Noel, authorities said. During the conversation, Noel referred to the undercover officer as a “child” and made plans to meet at a location in Bergen County for for sex, officials said.

“The defendant’s predatory actions posed a grave threat to our most vulnerabl

See Full Page