Michael E. Robbins, Enticement of a Minor, New York 2024

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Michael E. Robbins, II, 27, of Schenectady, New York, took a plea deal today, admitting guilt to attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. The feds caught him red-handed trying to meet what he *thought* was a 12-year-old girl, but was actually an undercover officer. U.S. Attorney Carla B. Freedman and FBI Special Agent in Charge Janeen DiGuiseppi announced the conviction, but the details paint a disturbing picture of a predator lurking online.

According to court documents, Robbins spent February and March 2021 exchanging explicit messages with the undercover operative, attempting to lure her into sexual acts. He didn’t just stumble across this “victim” – he actively sought her out, finding her in an online chat group geared towards teenagers in the 518 area code. This wasn’t a fleeting moment of bad judgment; it was a deliberate, calculated effort to exploit a child.

The plan culminated on March 18, 2021, when Robbins arranged a meeting in Latham, New York. He drove from Rensselaer with the clear intent to commit a heinous act. But law enforcement was waiting. Robbins was arrested shortly after arriving at the designated location, his predatory scheme cut short before it could come to fruition. The fact he traveled to commit this crime shows a level of pre-planning that’s deeply unsettling.

Robbins’ guilty plea came on the very day his trial was scheduled to begin, likely a desperate attempt to mitigate the severity of his sentence. Facing the evidence, he had little choice. United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby will hand down the sentence on July 13, 2023. The potential penalties are steep: at least 10 years, but potentially *life* in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000, and a minimum of 5 years – and potentially a lifetime – of supervised release after serving his time.

The investigation was spearheaded by the FBI and its Child Exploitation Task Force, a multi-agency effort involving federal, state, and local law enforcement, including the Colonie Police Department and the New York State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin S. Clark and Michael D. Gadarian are prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative launched in 2006.

Project Safe Childhood aims to aggressively target and prosecute individuals who exploit children online, rescuing victims and bringing perpetrators to justice. This case serves as a grim reminder of the dangers lurking in the digital world and the importance of vigilance. More information on Project Safe Childhood can be found at https://www.justice.gov/psc. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on the sentencing.

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