Joseph Swansbrough, a 34-year-old man from Ithaca, has been sentenced to 12.5 years in federal prison following his attempt to entice an undercover police officer, who he believed was a 10-year-old boy, into sexual activity.
The sentencing, announced by the U.S. Attorney Carla B. Freedman’s Office, took place on November 29. In addition to his prison term, Swansbrough will face 25 years of supervised release and will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release.
Swansbrough’s conviction stems from his guilty plea last November, where he admitted to exchanging sexually explicit messages with an undercover officer between September and October 2021. Believing he was communicating with a minor, Swansbrough arranged a meeting on October 21, 2021, in Broome County, intending to engage in sexual acts with the child. However, upon his arrival at the prearranged location, he was apprehended by law enforcement. Officers found candy in his possession, which he had promised to bring to the child.
This case was part of a broader investigation conducted by the FBI Syracuse Mid-State Child Exploitation Task Force and falls under the Project Safe Child initiative. Assistant United States Attorneys Geoffrey J. L. Brown, Jessica N. Carbone, and Adrian S. LaRochelle led the prosecution. The conviction and sentencing of Swansbrough highlight the ongoing efforts to combat child exploitation and protect minors from predatory behaviors online.
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