A former rabbi from St. Louis Park, a suburb of Minneapolis, just pleaded guilty to grooming a teenage boy who he met online for sex.
44-year-old Aryeh Leiv Cohen entered guilty plea last Friday on one count of engaging in electronic communication describing sexual conduct with a child.
It all started back in February when Cohen, who was working as a rabbi and youth outreach director at Minneapolis Community Kollel, struck up a conversation someone claiming to be 16-year-old boy on Grindr.
Little did he know, Cohen was actually communicating with an undercover agent.
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During their chats, the agent mentioned that he was just 16, to which Cohen replied, “It’s a little illegal” before describing all the sex acts he would like to perform on the youth then sending naked pictures of himself.
The two eventually arranged a meetup at Cohen’s apartment. When police showed up at his front door to arrest him, Cohen told them, “I sort of deserve it.”
After the arrest, a spokesperson for the Minneapolis Community Kollel issued a statement saying, “The Kollel is deeply concerned about the health and well-being of our students, staff, and broader community and we hope and pray for healing and wellness for all who have been or may be affected during this troubling and difficult time.”
Cohen is scheduled to be sentenced on January 16.
Related: Religious leader caught grooming teen for sex on Grindr says it was maybe “a little illegal”
Lacuevaman
to be queer and expected religious is an impossible mix. God will help him.
GayEGO
Those righteous religious leaders! It seems that more religious leaders get caught doing naughty naughty than gays do!
Greg
Who said he was righteous?
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
SHOCKING!!!!
(not really….)
Billy Budd
Religion is poison.
KerryB
More like a highly contagious form of MENTAL ILLNESS!
Aromaeus
So this guy is trash but isn’t this entrapment? It’s not any different than a cop pretending to cruise a park in order to arrest someone.
Mirek
16 is legal in Poland. I officialy came out to my family and friends at that age, 60 (!) years ago! I have NEVER experienced any form of homophobia or harassment in my long life!
DHT
In most US states the age of consent is 16, in Minnesota it is 17. Regardless, I don’t understand these guys who are attracted to teenagers, the very idea is abusive.
frankcar1965
I thought they we persecuting gays in Poland! At least that is what I saw on the news, the Church was behind it, it looked like to me. All of Eastern Europe is very anti gay.
teddybear111
I will probably be criticized for this
When I was about 12 and a paper boy one of my customers invitited me in and seduced me. He was in his forties.
Later he introduced me to other older gentleman. None of these men ever hurt me physically in fact it was an escape from an alcoholic mother and a vile abusive stepfather who abused me every way possible. Verbally and physically.
I’d never heard the word pedophile at that time but I Loved These Guys.
One of them was a priest another was a book dealer who introduced me to major authors I never knew and influenced my Lifelong Love of reading and book collecting
Yes there was physical contact including lots of hugs and kisses and sex.
I have always liked older men.
Now I’m approaching 75 and it is very difficult to meet anyone there is so much AGEISM in the gay community.
I have been bullied called old troll etc.
I’m sure some senior QUEERTY readers have experienced the same animosity.