ALBANY, NEW YORK - David J. Rancourt, age 62, of Palmer, Massachusetts, was sentenced today to 188 months in prison for attempted coercion and enticement of a minor for prohibited sexual activity, and distribution, receipt and possession of child pornography.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and Vadim D. Thomas, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On Nov. 23, 2016, Rancourt pled to all 12 counts of an indictment charging him with the child exploitation crimes before United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino. As part of his plea, Rancourt admitted that he posted an online advertisement, “Dad looking for a son," seeking sexual role-play encounters with a boy. Following email and instant message exchanges with a Colonie Police Department officer acting undercover, Rancourt travelled to Albany to meet a person he believed to be a 14-year-old boy to engage in sexual activities. He also sent and received child pornography using a phone-based instant messaging application and possessed child pornography on his phone.
Judge D’Agostino also imposed a life term of supervised release, which will start after Rancourt is released from prison. As a result of his conviction, Rancourt will also be required to register as a sex offender after leaving prison.
Judge D’Agostino also ordered restitution of $3,000 to several child pornography victims who submitted restitution requests based on Rancourt’s possession of images depicting their abuse.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Colonie Police Department, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Solomon B. Shinerock.
This case is prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ 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. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
