ALBANY, NEW YORK – A shocking case of attempted child enticement has come to light, with Thomas Cesiro, a 69-year-old man from Rutland, Vermont, being sentenced to 10 years in prison for his crimes.
Cesiro was found guilty of attempting to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity after a three-day trial in October 2022. The trial evidence revealed that between October 10 and October 20, 2020, Cesiro exchanged over 1,000 text messages and made 9 phone calls with investigators posing as a 12-year-old girl and her adult mother.
During one phone call, Cesiro instructed the girl on how to conduct a sexual act, demonstrating his sinister intentions. On October 20, 2020, Cesiro traveled from Rutland to Bennington, Vermont, to meet the ‘mother’ and the ‘girl,’ bringing with him various sex devices and gifts, including a ‘Frozen’-themed toothbrush.
Cesiro was apprehended by law enforcement officials upon his arrival and arrested. United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino also imposed a 10-year term of post-imprisonment supervised release.
The case was investigated by the FBI and its Child Exploitation Task Force, including investigators from the Colonie Police Department, Rotterdam Police Department, and New York State Police. Assistant United States Attorneys Rachel Williams and Richard Belliss prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims.
Defendant: Thomas Cesiro
Criminal Charge: Attempted Enticement of a Minor
City and State: Rutland, Vermont
Date: October 13, 2022 (sentencing), October 20, 2020 (crime date)
Sentence: 10 years in prison, 10 years of post-imprisonment supervised release
Related Federal Cases
- Thomas Cesiro, Attempting to Entice a Minor, New York 2020 · Vermont
- Alber Rodriguez, Sexually Exploiting a Minor, New York 2024 · Vermont
- Robert McAdam, Engaging in Illicit Sexual Conduct with a Minor, New York 2020 · Utah
- Devin LaValley, Conspiracy to Sexually Exploit a Child, New York 2024 · New York
- Bryan Matacale, Production of Child Pornography, New York 2017 · New York
Key Facts
- State: New York
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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