ROCHESTER, NY—U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Jacob Shamp, 23, of Leichester, NY, pleaded guilty to conspiring to recruit an underage girl to commit a commercial sex act before Chief U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci. The charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life and a $250,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Marangola, who is handling the case, stated that Shamp and his girlfriend, Ashlee Cook, 24, posted an ad on Backpage.com, advertising a minor victim for prostitution. Law enforcement officers conducted an undercover operation and arranged to meet the girl in Gates, NY. When officers arrived, they took a statement from the minor victim.

Charges are still pending against Ashlee Cook. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

The plea is the culmination of an investigation on the part of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force is made up of FBI, RPD, MCSO, and HSI), the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Craig Hanesworth, and the Gates Police Department, under the direction of Chief James VanBrederode.