Peter Bardunias, a 59-year-old resident of Clifton Park, New York, and Senior Vice President of Community Advancement for the Capital Region Chamber of Commerce, has been charged with attempting to entice a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity. The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Albany Field Office.
According to the criminal complaint filed on October 7, Bardunias allegedly communicated over the past two weeks with someone he believed was a 15-year-old girl. During these exchanges, he discussed violent and sadistic sexual acts. The person Bardunias was communicating with was actually an undercover law enforcement officer.
The complaint further alleges that Bardunias told the individual he wanted to “strangle[]” and “tortur[e]” her while raping her. On October 6, Bardunias traveled to Warren County intending to meet the minor and brought candy in an effort to make her feel more comfortable. He was arrested shortly after arriving at the meeting location. A federal search warrant executed at his home reportedly uncovered a box containing sex toys, restraints, and a knife—items consistent with what he had described as part of a “torture chamber.”
Attorney General Pamela Bondi commented: “Parents need to be hyper-aware of conversations their children are having via text or online — predators often lurk behind screens,” adding, “This man’s alleged crimes are shocking, and our prosecutors will ensure he faces severe consequences for his evil conduct towards an innocent child.”
Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated: “As alleged in the federal criminal complaint filed today, Peter Bardunias attempted to engage in what can only be described as heinous, unspeakable, and violent actions against a minor. I am thankful that the FBI intervened to ensure that he was unable to follow through in any of this horrific activity with a real minor, and our community is safer tonight because Bardunias is behind bars.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Craig L. Tremaroli said: “As detailed in the criminal complaint, the allegations against Mr. Bardunias are truly horrific. His intentions were beyond disturbing and have resulted in serious federal charges. The FBI commends the brave individual who contacted us with information that immediately launched this investigation and put an end to these disturbingly sinister plans. We will continue to use every resource available to find and hold accountable any predator looking to victimize our most vulnerable, and we encourage anyone with additional information on Mr. Bardunias to contact our office.”
If convicted on these charges, Bardunias faces up to life imprisonment with a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years; fines could reach $250,000 along with supervised release from five years up to life.
Bardunias appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul J. Evangelista in Albany on October 7 where he was ordered held pending a detention hearing scheduled for Friday, October 10.
Authorities emphasize that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The case is being investigated by members of the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force—which includes federal as well as local agencies such as Colonie Police Department—and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph S. Hartunian under Project Safe Childhood.
Project Safe Childhood is a national program led by U.S Attorneys’ Offices alongside the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), aimed at fighting child exploitation online by combining resources from multiple levels of government agencies.
