Legendary New York DJ Dave Herman has been busted for trying to arrange a sick tryst with a 7-year-old girl — whom he hoped to liquor up in the US Virgin Islands and “force” into sex, federal authorities said.
The former radio mainstay — whose “Rock And Roll Morning Show” ran on WNEW-FM from 1972 to 1998 — allegedly thought he was teaming up with the child’s mom to organize the perverted attack on the girl, who was called “Lexi.”
But the 77-year-old Herman didn’t realize the woman with whom he was scheming was an undercover officer with the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, federal officials said.
He was arrested Thursday when he flew from La Guardia Airport to St. Croix to meet the mom and child — and was instead met by special agents of the departments of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Herman — who once hobnobbed with rock superstars such as Mick Jagger, Bruce Springsteen, David Bowie and Pete Townshend — allegedly began his bid to bed the 7-year-old when he met the child’s “mom,” named Kris, in a Yahoo! chat room.
Under the handle “david121482,” he allegedly talked to the undercover officer about his lust for a girl “Lexi’s” age.
“Age 6 is the perfect time to start her being loved that way,” the Rockland County resident said, believing the girl was 6 at the time, according to feds. “I find girls that age incredibly sexy, soft, and their innocence is also a huge turn on for me.”
The DJ also vowed to be gentle with the girl.
“Herman promised he would not hurt ‘Lexi’ though he might have to be ‘forceful’ with her,” according to the complaint written by Homeland Security Special Agent Mark Lubischer. “Herman suggested that they could give ‘Lexi’ some alcohol to relax her.”
After the music man failed to arrange a tryst in New Jersey or New York, Herman allegedly suggested a hookup in the Virgin Islands, where he has a vacation home.
He allegedly hammered out the final details during a Sept. 30 phone call with “Kris.”
“During this conversation, Herman discussed how he wanted to ‘break’ Lexi’s hymen and also stated that he was looking to do a lot of ‘oral’ with her,” according to Lubischer.
Herman was charged with interstate transport of a minor for sex, officials said.
He faces 10 years to life in prison if convicted, in addition to potential fines of up to $250,000. He’s set to face a US magistrate in the Virgin Islands on Friday.
A defense lawyer for Herman could not be immediately reached for comment on Thursday night.
Herman had been one of New York’s most famous disc jockeys, riding the wave of FM-music popularity in the 1970s.
On his personal Web site, Herman said his big break came in 1968 when WMMR in Philadelphia hired him and he launched his “Marconi Experiment” show.