Richard Senecal, Attempted Inducement of a Minor to Engage in Illicit Sexual Activity, Rhode Island 2024

PROVIDENCE – A Warwick man who admitted to attempting to entice a minor boy into engaging in illicit sexual activity was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.

Richard Senecal, 64, of Warwick, previously admitted to a federal judge that in April 2022, he engaged in a series of sexually explicit online communications with an individual he believed to be a 14-year-old boy. Senecal sent sexually explicit images and suggested sharing drugs, including methamphetamine, with the boy, and made arrangements to meet in Warwick to engage in sex with the boy.

According to information presented to the court, that conduct occurred only months after Senecal was released on bail after being arrested in October 2021 for attempting to solicit a different 14-year-old boy for sex. In both instances, the individuals that Senecal thought were 14-year-old boys were, in fact, members of the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.

Senecal pled guilty on February 28, 2024, to attempted inducement of a minor to engage in illicit sexual activity. He was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy to 120 months in federal prison to be followed by eight years of supervised release. Senecal will be required to register as a sex offender.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John P. McAdams and Julie M. White. The matter was investigated by the Rhode Island State Police ICAC Task Force and Homeland Security Investigations.

Senecal’s actions demonstrate a reckless disregard for the safety and well-being of children. His sentence should serve as a warning to those who would prey on the vulnerable, said U.S. Attorney Cunha. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work tirelessly to protect our communities from predators like Senecal.