Alyson Cranick, 44, of Columbia, has pleaded guilty to coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. The announcement was made by David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut. The plea was entered before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport.
Court documents and statements indicate that Cranick used text messaging, Snapchat, and Discord to communicate with an 11-year-old boy. She coerced the child into sexually explicit conduct during several meetings between the summer and fall of 2022. According to authorities, Cranick induced the minor to leave his house after midnight on multiple occasions and sexually assaulted him during those encounters.
Between July and October 2022, more than 4,700 messages were exchanged between Cranick and the victim on Discord.
Cranick was initially arrested on state charges related to these incidents on November 14, 2023, and has been held since November 28, 2023. Federal charges were filed against her in July 2024.
Judge Dooley set sentencing for February 12. Cranick faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison and could receive up to life imprisonment.
The investigation involved the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force as well as the Connecticut State Police’s Eastern District Major Crime Unit. The task force is composed of federal, state, and local agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel E. Cummings and Katherine E. Boyles are prosecuting the case through Project Safe Childhood—a Justice Department initiative focused on protecting children from sexual exploitation (https://www.justice.gov/psc).
David X. Sullivan expressed appreciation for the cooperation provided by the State’s Attorney’s Office for the Judicial District of Tolland in investigating and prosecuting this matter.
Information about Project Safe Childhood is available at www.justice.gov/psc. Reports of child exploitation can be submitted at www.cybertipline.com.
