Charles Wager, 57, of Castleton-on-Hudson, New York, has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison following his conviction for attempting to entice a minor into illegal sexual activity while he was required to register as a sex offender. The sentencing was announced by Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the FBI.
Evidence presented at trial showed that in early 2021, Wager exchanged thousands of sexually explicit text messages with individuals he believed were a 10-year-old girl and her mother. He shared pornography with the presumed child, described sexual acts he intended to perform, sent nude photos of himself, and offered toys and treats as rewards for engaging in sexual acts. Wager arranged an in-person meeting and purchased a car for this purpose. On February 5, 2021, he traveled from Castleton-on-Hudson to Binghamton intending to meet the child and brought toys as rewards. He was arrested shortly after arriving and has remained detained since then.
Wager’s criminal history includes a guilty plea in Rensselaer County Court in 2002 for third-degree rape involving a 15-year-old girl. He has been required to register as a sex offender since that conviction. Trial evidence also indicated that Wager previously molested two other minors decades ago using similar grooming tactics.
“Charles Wager is one of the most dangerous child predators our office has ever prosecuted, and that speaks volumes,” said Acting United States Attorney Sarcone. “We will continue to unleash the full powers of the federal government to hold these twisted and evil people accountable for their vile and despicable crimes. I commend the FBI for its flawless operation to bring this repeat, remorseless child predator to justice.”
Special Agent in Charge Craig L. Tremaroli stated: “Today’s significant sentence put an end to Mr. Wager’s horrific history of sexual abuse and vile behavior. This dangerous individual will now spend decades in federal prison where he can no longer harm any of our children. The FBI remains as dedicated as ever to ensuring any individual seeking to harm our most vulnerable is swiftly identified, investigated, and brought to justice.”
The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force with assistance from various law enforcement agencies including the Colonie Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin S. Clark and Thomas R. Sutcliffe prosecuted the case under Project Safe Childhood—a nationwide initiative led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) aimed at combating child sexual exploitation online through coordinated efforts among federal, state, and local authorities.
More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at https://www.justice.gov/psc.
