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Press Release

New York Man Indicted On Child Exploitation Crimes

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Middle District of Pennsylvania

SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Charles J. Senke, age 59, of Syracuse, New York, was indicted by a federal grand jury for traveling in interstate commerce to meet a minor for illicit sexual conduct, as well as online enticement.

According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, the indictment alleges that Senke used the internet and a cellular device to persuade a person who he believed to be 14 years old to engage in sexual conduct.  It is alleged that on February 4, 2015, Senke travelled to Scranton by automobile from Syracuse for the specific purpose of engaging in sexual activity with the person he believed to be a minor.  

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General.  Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Olshefski is prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit  www.usdoj.gov/psc For more information about internet safety education, please visit  www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."

Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.  Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.

 

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Updated December 20, 2016

Topic
Project Safe Childhood