PREET BHARARA, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that CHRISTOPHER SCHULZE, 44, of Beacon, New York, was sentenced to 23 years in prison for attempted sexual exploitation of a minor, attempted enticement of a minor, and possession of approximately 1000 images of child pornography. SCHULZE pled guilty on June 3, 2009, before U.S. District Judge STEPHEN C. ROBINSON, who imposed yesterday's sentence in White Plains federal court.
According to statements made during the guilty plea and sentencing proceedings, and documents filed in this case:
In June 2007, SCHULZE put an advertisement on Craig's List requesting girls of all ages to participate in the production of adult movies. In October 2007, a special agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, acting in an undercover capacity, sent an e-mail in response to the SCHULZE's advertisement. Between October and November 20, 2007, SCHULZE and the undercover exchanged numerous e-mails and spoke twice by phone. The undercover told SCHULZE "she" was 15 years-old.
Ultimately, SCHULZE requested to meet the undercover at the Metro-North Station in Beacon, New York, on November 20, 2007. SCHULZE and the undercover FBI agent, who was posing as a 15-year-old girl, discussed SCHULZE's plan to take nude pictures and film of the girl and that they would engage in a variety of sexual activities which he would videotape. SCHULZE went to the Beacon train station at the designated time, where he was arrested by the FBI. A search warrant executed at his home established that SCHULZE possessed all the necessary equipment to make a sex film, including condoms, lubricants, a camera, and lighting equipment. A search of SCHULZE's laptop computer revealed SCHULZE's possession of approximately 1000 images and videos of child pornography.
During the guilty plea proceeding, SCHULZE admitted that he used his computer to engage in chats with a person he believed was a minor and that he arranged for the minor to meet him for the purposes of engaging in sexual activities and making sexually explicit videos.
At yesterday's sentencing proceeding, Judge ROBINSON emphasized that a 23-year sentence was appropriate because SCHULZE was a dangerous offender and the public required protection from him. Judge ROBINSON underscored SCHULZE's history of prior abusive sexual conduct -- including SCHULZE'S illegal sexual activity with a 16-year old girl and SCHULZE'S sexual assault of an unconscious adult woman.
In addition to imposing a sentence of 23 years in prison, Judge ROBINSON imposed a term of five years' supervised release.Mr. BHARARA praised the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office's White Plains Division. Assistant United States Attorney MARCIA S. COHEN is in charge of the prosecution.
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