UTICA, NEW YORK – In a gripping courtroom battle, Charles Wager, 55, of Castleton-on-Hudson, was found guilty yesterday of attempting to entice a minor into unlawful sexual activities. The conviction follows a tense 4-day trial.
The evidence presented at the trial revealed that from January to February 2021, Wager engaged in a shocking online exchange with individuals he believed to be a 10-year-old girl and her mother. He exchanged thousands of sexually explicit messages, discussed illegal acts, and sent nude images of himself. His sinister plan culminated in a trip to Binghamton on February 5, 2021, where Wager aimed to meet the child. His plans were thwarted when he was arrested upon arrival.
Wager’s dark history includes a previous conviction for raping a 15-year-old girl in 2002. Since then, he has been registered as a sex offender. The defendant also confessed to sexually molesting two other minors decades ago during his arraignment following the February 2021 incident.
Sentencing is set for June 8, 2023, with United States District Judge David N. Hurd presiding. Wager faces a minimum of 20 years in prison, up to life, alongside a fine of $250,000 and at least 5 years of supervised release, depending on the sentence imposed by the court.
The FBI Syracuse Mid-State Child Exploitation Task Force played a pivotal role in this investigation. This joint effort includes agents from the FBI, New York State Police, Bureau of Criminal Investigation, and Colonie Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin S. Clark and Thomas R. Sutcliffe handled the prosecution.
This case was prosecuted under Project Safe Childhood, a national initiative aimed at combating online child exploitation. For more information on this crucial initiative, visit Project Safe Childhood.
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes|Cybercrime|Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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