Lawrence Belcher, Sex Offender Sentencing, New York 2023

ALBANY, NEW YORK – In a disturbing case of child exploitation, 37-year-old Lawrence Belcher of Troy, New York, was sentenced to 188 months in prison for attempting to coerce and entice a child to engage in sexual acts with him.

Belcher's crimes took place between January and April 2022, during which he sent sexually explicit text messages to a person he believed to be a 13-year-old boy, ultimately asking to meet the child in person to engage in sexual acts in his car.

On April 14, 2022, Belcher traveled to a motel parking lot in Schenectady County, where he was encountered by law enforcement and arrested. He has been in custody since his arrest.

Belcher's prior record includes a misdemeanor conviction for sexually abusing a child younger than 14 years old, and he was a registered sex offender at the time of his arrest in April. He also has two misdemeanor convictions for failing to comply with New York State sex offender registry requirements.

Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes imposed a 15-year term of supervised release to begin after Belcher is released from prison. Upon his release, Belcher will also be required to register as a sex offender.

The investigation into Belcher's crimes was led by the FBI and its Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes FBI Special Agents and members of state and local law enforcement agencies, including the Rotterdam and Colonie Police Departments. Assistant United States Attorney Michael Barnett prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Childhood.

Launched in May 2006, Project Safe Childhood is a Department of Justice initiative aimed at locating, apprehending, and prosecuting individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identifying and rescuing victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndny/pr/troy-sex-offender-sentenced-attempting-entice-minor