Jerod Schaffer, 42, of Potsdam, New York, has been sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for sexual exploitation of a child and receipt and possession of child pornography. The sentencing took place in Utica, New York.
Schaffer had previously been convicted in Franklin County, New York, in 2014 for attempted sexual abuse in the first degree. As a result of that conviction, he was required to register as a sex offender. In his guilty plea for the current case, Schaffer admitted that he met a 14-year-old girl on a social media site in November 2021 and began requesting and receiving sexually explicit images from her. He later traveled from New York to Ohio in early 2022 where he engaged in sexual conduct with the minor on several occasions and recorded it. When law enforcement searched his home in May 2022, they found dozens of sexually explicit files depicting the victim.
Senior United States District Judge David N. Hurd also imposed a 10-year term of supervised release following Schaffer's imprisonment. Upon release, Schaffer will be required to continue registering as a sex offender.
Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated: “This sentence ensures that a child rapist, who recorded the abuse he inflicted on his victim, will remain in federal prison for decades to come. Our community is safer with this pedophile behind bars. My Office will continue to work with our federal and state partners to ensure that child predators get what they deserve.”
HSI Special Agent in Charge Erin Keegan said: “Jerod Schaffer willfully and repeatedly exploited a 14-year-old girl whom he traveled across state lines to meet. While no amount of justice can undo the trauma this victim incurred, today's sentence ensures this child predator will not soon roam free.”
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Potsdam Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Michael D. Gadarian and Adrian S. LaRochelle prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Project Safe Childhood is an initiative led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along with the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), aiming to address online child sexual exploitation through coordinated efforts at federal, state, and local levels (https://www.justice.gov/psc).
