A Cayuga County man previously convicted of sexually abusing a child now faces at least another decade in prison after pleading guilty in federal court to attempting to entice what he believed was a 14-year-old boy into sexual activity.
Jeremy Soutar, 46, entered the guilty plea April 28 to attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York.
Federal prosecutors said Soutar committed the offense while on post-release supervision for a prior New York conviction for first-degree course of sexual conduct against a child and while registered as a sex offender.
Authorities said Soutar admitted attempting to persuade someone he believed was a 14-year-old boy to engage in sexual activity. Additional details about the investigation were not released in the announcement.
Soutar faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and could receive up to life imprisonment at sentencing scheduled for Aug. 26.
Prosecutors said he will also face at least five years of supervised release, could be fined up to $250,000 and will be required to continue registering as a sex offender.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney John Sarcone III said the case highlights continued efforts to prosecute repeat offenders accused of targeting children online.
Federal officials credited the investigation to a joint effort involving the FBI, New York State Police and the Cayuga County Sheriff’s Office.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Gadarian as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide federal initiative targeting child sexual exploitation and internet-related crimes against minors.
Officials noted the guilty plea resolves criminal charges only after conviction and sentencing by a federal judge.
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