United States Attorney's Office District of Connecticut
Press Release

Project Safe Childhood: NORWICH MAN ADMITS USING INTERNET TO ATTEMPT TO ENGAGE IN SEX WITH A MINOR

Nora R. Dannehy, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JONATHAN DESROSIER, 29, of Norwich, pleaded guilty today before Senior United States District Judge Peter C. Dorsey in New Haven to one count of attempting to use an interstate facility to transmit information about a minor.

According to documents filed with the Court and statements made in court, beginning in September 2007, DESROSIER engaged in numerous Internet conversations with a person he believed to be a 14-year-old girl, but who was, in fact, an undercover Milford Police officer working with the Connecticut Computer Crimes Task Force and posing as a 14-year-old girl.  Through these Internet conversations, DESROSIER arranged with the “girl” to meet for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity.

Law enforcement officers arrested DESROSIER on the evening of November 16, 2007, after he arrived at a bowling alley in Milford where he had previously arranged to meet the “girl.”

Judge Dorsey has scheduled sentencing for January 5, 2009, at which time DESROSIER faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years and a fine of up to $250,000.  The parties have agreed that DESROSIER should be sentenced within a federal sentencing guidelines range of 46 to 57 months of imprisonment.

Acting U.S. Attorney Dannehy noted that this prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation.

This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Connecticut Computer Crimes Task Force, which includes federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, including the Milford Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah P. Karwan.

The Connecticut Computer Crimes Task Force was formed in February 2003 to investigate crimes occurring over the Internet. These crimes include computer intrusion, Internet fraud, copyright violations, Internet threats and harassment and on-line crimes against children. The Task Force also provides computer forensic review services for participating agencies. The Task Force is housed in the main FBI office in New Haven, Connecticut. For more information about the Task Force, please contact the FBI at 203-777-6311.

CONTACT:

U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
thomas.carson@usdoj.gov