Active-Duty U.S. Marine Arrested for Kidnapping 12-Year-Old Hammond Girl
A 24-year-old active-duty U.S. Marine has been arrested after allegedly traveling from North Carolina to Lake County, to kidnap and sexually assault a 12-year-old girl he reportedly met on TikTok, according to federal authorities.
William Richard Roy, of Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, was taken into custody Sunday in Durham, North Carolina, after being tracked down by the FBI and U.S. Marshals. The young victim was safely recovered, officials said.
Roy now faces multiple federal charges filed by the U.S. Department of Justice, including:
• Enticement of a Minor to Travel for Illicit Sexual Activity
• Transportation of a Minor to Engage in Illicit Sexual Activity
• Interstate Travel with Intent to Engage in a Sexual Act with a Minor
The case began Saturday when the FBI’s Merrillville Resident Agency, part of the Indianapolis Field Office, received a tip from the Hammond Police Department about a missing 12-year-old believed to be traveling with Roy.
Investigators say the child’s grandmother reported her missing earlier that day, and evidence quickly pointed to online communication between the girl and Roy on TikTok.
According to court documents, Roy flew from North Carolina to Chicago on October 24, then took an Uber to Hammond, where he allegedly met the girl at a local park. The two reportedly returned to Chicago, where they spent the night at a hotel, before boarding a Greyhound bus bound for North Carolina the following morning.
Federal investigators from the FBI’s Greensboro Office, along with local law enforcement in Durham, intercepted the bus on October 26, taking Roy into custody without incident and ensuring the child’s safe recovery.
The FBI says the ongoing investigation involves field offices in Indianapolis, Chicago, and Charlotte, with major assistance from the Hammond Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service.
Roy remains in federal custody awaiting further court proceedings.
