ALBANY, NEW YORK – Brian Botsford, age 26, of Troy, New York, pleaded guilty today to attempting to coerce and entice a 13-year-old child to engage in sexual acts with him. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
As part of his guilty plea, Botsford admitted that between July and August 2020, he sent graphic, sexually explicit text messages to an undercover investigator who was posing as the 13-year-old child. In those messages, Botsford repeatedly asked the child for naked photos and sent photos of an erect penis to the presumed child. Botsford further stated that he wanted the child to run away and live with him in an abandoned building and get the child pregnant. On August 10, 2020, Botsford attempted to meet the child in person at a location in Troy in order to engage in sexual acts with the child. Botsford was encountered by law enforcement upon his arrival and arrested.
Botsford faces at least 10 years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. Sentencing is scheduled for November 17, 2022 in Albany before Senior United States District Judge Gary L. Sharpe. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the statute the defendant is charged with violating, the US Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. Botsford will also have to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
This case was investigated by the FBI and its Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, to include the Colonie Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rachel L. Williams as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). 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 to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
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