A New Jersey woman, who traveled about 1,000 miles several times to have sex with a 16-year-old boy in Gainesville, was arrested last week in her hometown.
Officers from the Carteret Police Department arrested Lisa Silva, 33, on unlawful sexual activity with a minor and traveling to meet a minor for unlawful sexual conduct charges, said GPD Spokesman Officer Ben Tobias.
The relationship started in July 2011 when Silva and the boy met on a Facebook game called YoVille, Tobias said.
Silva and the boy continued to talk to each other via phone calls, text messages, emails, letters and three in-person meetings.
Silva traveled to Gainesville twice to have sex with the boy, once in December 2011 and again in February 2012, Tobias said.
Gainesville Police started its investigation along with the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI after one of the boy’s family members tipped off the department about the relationship, Tobias said.
Investigators issued a sworn complaint affidavit to the State Attorney’s Office against Silva Dec. 12, Tobias said. On Feb. 7, the SAO issued a capias warrant for Silva’s arrest.
At about 11 p.m. Feb. 18, Carteret Police arrested Silva during a traffic stop and booked her into the Middlesex County Adult Corrections facility Feb. 19 on a $100,000 bond.
Silva was released Monday after she met bail.
Contact Kathryn Varn at kvarn@alligator.org.
