Binghamton Man Indicted for Enticing Minors to Engage in Sexual Conduct
| U.S. Attorney's Office March 06, 2009 |
Andrew T. Baxter, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of New York; John F. Pikus, Special Agent-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Albany Division; Douglas Potts, Chief of Johnson City Police Department; and James Dadamio, Director of Broome County Security Division, make the following announcement:
As a result of an investigation conducted by the Southern Tier Cyber Predator Task Force (STCPTF)1, defendant Mark McGrath, 31, of Binghamton, New York was indicted by a federal grand jury sitting in Binghamton, New York and defendant was charged with Persuading, Inducing and Enticing Minors To Engage In Sexual Conduct.2 The indictment charges that defendant, using facilities or means of interstate or foreign commerce, including text messaging, instant messaging, wire communications, and other transmissions by use of computers and cellular telephones, knowingly attempted to and did persuade, induce, entice, or coerce minors to engage in sexual activity. If convicted of the federal charge, defendant faces a mandatory minimum imprisonment term of 10 years and a possible maximum imprisonment term of Life. Defendant also faces a possible maximum fine of $250,000. The defendant appeared today before United States Magistrate Judge David E. Peebles, who ordered that the defendant be held in federal custody. A trial date has yet to be set.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Miroslav Lovric. Further inquiries may be directed to the United States Attorney’s Office, Binghamton branch office at (607) 773-2887.
1 The Southern Tier Cyber Predator Task Force (STCPTF) consists of the following agencies: New York State Police; Binghamton Police Department; Broome County District Attorney’s Office; Broome County Security Division; Broome County Sheriff’s Office; Endicott Police Department; Federal Bureau of Investigation; Johnson City Police Department; Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office; Tioga County Sheriff’s Office; Delaware County Sheriff’s Office; Ithaca Police Department; Cortland Police Department; SUNY Binghamton University Police; Vestal Police Department; and Cornell University Police.
2 The indictment is an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.