Schaffer Gets 25 Years for Exploiting 14-Year-Old

UTICA, NEW YORK – Jerod Schaffer, 42, of Potsdam, New York, will spend the next 25 years (300 months) behind bars after being sentenced today for the horrific sexual exploitation of a 14-year-old girl and the possession of sickening child pornography. The sentence, handed down by Senior United States District Judge David N. Hurd, barely begins to address the damage Schaffer inflicted.

This wasn’t a first offense. Schaffer was already a registered sex offender, convicted in Franklin County, New York, back in 2014 of attempted sexual abuse in the first degree. Clearly, that didn’t deter him. According to court documents, Schaffer began grooming the victim in November 2021, connecting with her on a social media platform and quickly escalating to requesting and receiving explicit images. But it didn’t stop there.

The depravity deepened in early 2022 when Schaffer traveled from New York to Ohio, allegedly to meet the girl. There, he engaged in repeated sexual conduct with the child, and, adding another layer of cruelty, *recorded* the abuse. When law enforcement finally raided Schaffer’s home in May 2022, they discovered dozens of sexually explicit files depicting the victim, a digital archive of his monstrous acts.

Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III didn’t mince words. “This sentence ensures that a child rapist, who recorded the abuse he inflicted on his victim, will remain in federal prison for decades to come,” he stated. “Our community is safer with this pedophile behind bars. My Office will continue to work with our federal and state partners to ensure that child predators get what they deserve.”

Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), echoed that sentiment. “Jerod Schaffer willfully and repeatedly exploited a 14-year-old girl whom he traveled across state lines to meet. While no amount of justice can undo the trauma this victim incurred, today’s sentence ensures this child predator will not soon roam free.” Schaffer will also face a 10-year term of supervised release *after* his prison sentence, and will be required to continue registering as a sex offender.

The case, a grim example of the horrors uncovered by Project Safe Childhood, was a collaborative effort between HSI, the Potsdam Police Department, and Assistant United States Attorneys Michael D. Gadarian and Adrian S. LaRochelle. Project Safe Childhood, a national initiative dedicated to combating child sexual exploitation, continues to be a vital resource in bringing predators like Schaffer to justice. More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at https://www.justice.gov/psc.

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