Philadelphia man admits enticing 12-year-old into prostitution

A man from Philadelphia has admitted to using an online chat app to entice a minor into prostitution and he now potentially faces life in prison.

Luckily from the start, that man was actually chatting with an undercover law enforcement officer and there was no child.

On Wednesday, 41-year-old Louis Goldenberg pleaded guilty to a charge of attempted online enticement of a minor to engage in prostitution.

According to federal authorities, in August of last year, Goldenberg began chatting with an undercover agent who was posing as a middle-aged woman with a 12-year-old niece.

From August through September 2023, Goldenberg messaged that agent, "continuously expressing interest in having sexual contact with the minor."

During one of those conversations, Goldenberg mentioned a specific hotel in Mt. Laurel where he wanted to have sex with the child. On September 18th, 2023, Goldenberg traveled from Pennsylvania to that hotel where he had a reservation. When he arrived, he was arrested.

Goldenberg now faces between ten years and life in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for January 27th.

U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger thanked Homeland Security Investigations-Newark, the Burlington County Prosecutor's Office, and the Mount Laurel Police Department for their work in this case. The government is represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katelyn Waegener of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.