Nathaniel Drescher, a 41-year-old resident of Latham, New York, was arraigned last Thursday following an indictment on charges of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. He is also charged with committing a felony offense against a minor as a registered sex offender. Drescher has been detained pending trial.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
The indictment alleges that Drescher attempted to persuade, induce, and entice a child he believed to be 11 years old into sexual activity. This follows his 2012 convictions in Johnson County, Texas, for online solicitation of a minor. It is important to note that these charges are accusations, and Drescher is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
United States Attorney Sarcone commented: “This conduct, as alleged, was especially egregious because the defendant had committed a similar offense before in Texas. With our state and federal law enforcement partners, we will continue to ensure that sex offenders are prosecuted to the fullest extent to the law when they commit new crimes.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Tremaroli stated: “This indictment proves crimes against our most vulnerable will be met with swift and decisive action. The FBI, together with our law enforcement partners, is committed to protecting children and bringing predators like Mr. Drescher to justice.”
If found guilty on all counts, Drescher could face at least 20 years up to life imprisonment, a fine up to $250,000, and supervised release from five years up to life. His sentence would be determined by a judge based on specific statutes violated along with U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. Additionally, upon release from prison, Drescher would have to continue registering as a sex offender.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force with assistance from the New York State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Allen J. Vickey is prosecuting this case under Project Safe Childhood.
Project Safe Childhood is an initiative aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse nationwide by marshaling federal, state, and local resources for locating and prosecuting individuals exploiting children via the Internet while identifying and rescuing victims.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.