Former US Marine Jailed After Grooming and Abusing Wicklow Teen

The accused absconded to America when on bail, was apprehended and brought back to Ireland in December 2025.

A former US Marine has been jailed for nine years after grooming a 15-year-old Wicklow girl online, before travelling to Ireland to sexually assault her.

Frank Bravo of Morristown, New Jersey, appeared before a sitting of Wicklow Circuit Criminal Court for sentencing.

The 27-year-old had pleaded guilty to two counts of meeting a child for the purpose of sexual exploitation, one count of sexual assault, and one count of using technology to facilitate that exploitation.

The accused used social media platforms, including Snapchat, to exchange personal information and explicit images before threatening to publish them. He also monitored the teenage girl's movements using the location-sharing app Life360.

The victim later met the defendant, after he travelled from New Jersey to Bray in August 2022.

Prior to the meeting, the girl’s mother became aware of the communications and reported the matter to Gardaí.