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Little League Coach Sentenced for Sex Crimes
PROVIDENCE – In a shocking turn of events, a Connecticut little league vice president and coach has pleaded guilty to sex crimes in federal court. Christopher L. Merchant, 33, of Canterbury, Connecticut, was arrested by members of the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force on January 25, 2019, and charged with indecent solicitation of a child and disseminating and possessing child pornography.
Merchant appeared in U.S. District Court in Providence and admitted to communicating with an individual he believed to be a 14-year-old boy via social media. The communications rapidly turned sexually graphic and Merchant arranged to meet the boy at a Warwick hotel to engage in illicit sexual activity. He also admitted to sending obscene photographs to the person with whom he was communicating.
However, what Merchant did not know was that he was actually communicating with a member of law enforcement assigned to the ICAC Task Force. Upon his arrival at the hotel, Merchant was arrested by members of the ICAC Task Force. A review of his cell phone revealed images of child pornography stored in the phone.
Merchant was initially held on state charges at the ACI until posting bail on January 28. He was re-arrested on a federal arrest warrant two days after his release from the ACI. He was arraigned in federal court and released on $10,000 unsecured bond.
Merchant pleaded guilty to travel in interstate commerce with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct and transporting child pornography. He is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge William E. Smith on June 28, 2019. If convicted, Merchant faces statutory penalties of up to 30 years in federal prison, a term of supervised release of 5 years to life, and a mandatory $5,000 special assessment imposed as required by the Justice for Victims Trafficking Act in child sexual exploitation cases.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John P. McAdams. United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police Colonel James M. Manni, and Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Peter C. Fitzhugh announced the guilty plea.
Key Facts
- State: Rhode Island
- Category: Sex Crimes|Cybercrime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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