A Surrey, B.C. man accused of travelling to Washington state to have sex with a young girl appeared in court Monday in Seattle, and was ordered to remain in custody.
Kuldip “Kelly” Singh Mahal is charged with attempted enticement of a minor for allegedly arranging to meet a U.S. special agent who was posing as a 12-year-old girl online.
A federal court judge ordered the 47-year-old accused stay detained pending his trial, arguing there would be no effective way to supervise him if he returned to Metro Vancouver.
Mahal's lawyer said his client is low-risk, and that those who know him are "in shock that this charge has even been filed."
Police allege Mahal, who coached an under 16 soccer team in B.C., responded to a “casual encounters” ad on Craigslist in January and sent nude photos of himself to an undercover agent he believed was an underage girl.
He was arrested on Feb. 3 after crossing the border into Washington for a meeting, according to authorities.
The charge against him carries a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life.
