A Navy psychologist based in Norfolk was sentenced Friday to 14 years in prison after communicating on Whisper and Snapshat with a person he believed to be 14 years old.
Michael Andrew Widroff, 34, pled guilty on Oct. 12, 2023, to attempted coercion and enticement of a minor.
According to court documents, on May 25, 2023, Widroff was a U.S. Navy officer serving as a psychologist in Norfolk when he came to the attention of law enforcement.
On the Whisper social media platform, Widroff posted a picture of a male dressed in a U.S. Navy service dress white uniform.
The naval criminal investigative service responded to the post in an undercover capacity as a 14-year-old girl.
Believing he was communicating with a child, Widroff moved the conversation to Snapchat and escalated the communications from casual to sexual.
Widroff described to the child, in graphic detail, numerous sexual acts in which he wanted them to engage. Widroff requested “sexy” and nude photos of the child as well as sexually explicit recordings.
Widroff then attempted to arrange for them to meet asking her to share the location of her house. Expressing anxiety about being seen, Widroff planned to enter her home through the back door.
On June 7, 2023, when Widroff arrived in the neighborhood where he intended to meet the 14-year-old to engage in sex, law enforcement performed a traffic stop on Widroff. As he was being pulled over, Widroff allegedly deleted Snapchat from his phone.
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Crystal Graham
