ALBANY, NEW YORK - David J. Rancourt, age 61, of Palmer, Massachusetts, pled guilty today to attempted coercion and enticement of a minor for prohibited sexual activity, and to having distributed, received, and possessed child pornography.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and Andrew W. Vale, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
As part of his plea, Rancourt admitted that he posted an online advertisement titled “Dad looking for a son," in which he solicited 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 in order to meet at a prearranged time and place to engage in sexual activities with a person he believed to be a 14-year-old boy. He also sent and received child pornography using a phone-based instant messaging application and possessed child pornography on his phone.
Rancourt faces at least 10 years and up to life in prison on the attempted coercion and enticement charge, and at least 5 years and up to 20 years in prison for receiving and distributing child pornography. He also faces a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life, a fine of up to $250,000, and mandatory registration as a sex offender. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. U.S. District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino is scheduled to sentence Rancourt on March 23, 2017.
This case was investigated by the Colonie Police Department and the FBI, and is being 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, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
