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Date: 07-21-2019
Case Style:
United States of America v. Christopher L. Merchant
Case Number: 1:19-cr-00020-WES-PAS
Judge: William E. Smith
Court: United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island (Providence County)
Plaintiff's Attorney: John P. McAdams and Lee H. Vilker
Defendant's Attorney: Daniel Griffin
Description:
Providence, RI - Little League Coach Sentenced for Interstate Travel to Engage in Sex with a Minor
A Plainfield, Conn., little league coach arrested by Rhode Island State Police in January 2019 at a Warwick, R.I., hotel where he arranged to meet with a 14-year-old boy to engage in illicit sexual activity was sentenced today to 60 months in federal prison.
At the time of his arrest, Christopher L. Merchant, 34, of Woodstock, Conn., was also found to be in possession of images of child pornography that he stored on his cell phone.
In pleading guilty in U.S. District Court in Providence on March 20, 2019, to travel in interstate commerce with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct and transporting child pornography, Merchant admitted that on numerous occasions, beginning in early January 2019, he engaged in a series of online sexually graphic exchanges with an individual he believed to be a 14-year-old boy. Merchant admitted that he arranged to meet with the boy at a Warwick, R.I., hotel to engage in illicit sexual activity. The defendant also admitted to sending obscene photographs to the person with whom he was communicating.
Merchant was actually communicating with a member of law enforcement assigned to the ICAC Task Force, who was conducting an investigation into online child exploitation via a dating and social networking application for smart phones.
At sentencing today, U.S. District Court Chief Judge William E. Smith ordered Merchant to serve a term of incarceration of 60 months to be followed by 15 years supervised release, and to pay a mandatory assessment of $5,000 as provided for in the Justice for Victims Trafficking Act, announced United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police Colonel James M. Manni, and Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Peter C. Fitzhugh.
Outcome: 18:2423(b) and (f) - INTERSTATE TRAVEL WITH INTENT TO ENGAGE IN ILLICIT SEXUAL CONDUCT WITH A MINOR
(1) 60 months incarceration as to Counts I and II; to be served concurrently with each other. Supervised Release for 15 years as to Counts I and II; to run concurrently with each other, with special conditions. Special Assessment of $200.00 and JVTA60 months incarceration as to Counts I and II; to be served concurrently with each other. Supervised Release for 15 years as to Counts I and II; to run concurrently with each other, with special conditions. Special Assessment of $200.00 and JVTA Assessment of $500.00. No fine imposed. Assessment of $500.00. No fine imposed.
18:2252(a)(1) - TRANSPORTATION OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY
(2) 60 months incarceration as to Counts I and II; to be served concurrently with each other. Supervised Release for 15 years as to Counts I and II; to run concurrently with each other, with special conditions. Special Assessment of $200.00 and JVTA60 months incarceration as to Counts I and II; to be served concurrently with each other. Supervised Release for 15 years as to Counts I and II; to run concurrently with each other, with special conditions. Special Assessment of $200.00 and JVTA Assessment of $500.00. No fine imposed. Assessment of $500.00. No fine imposed.
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Defendant's Experts:
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