Schenectady Man Indicted for Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor

ALBANY, NEW YORK - Michael E. Robbins II, age 26, of Schenectady, New York, was indicted for attempting to coerce and entice a minor into sexual activity.

The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

On June 23, 2022, Robbins waived an appearance for arraignment on the indictment. On March 18, 2021, Robbins was charged by complaint with attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. He was detained on that charge and has remained in custody since that time.

The complaint and indictment allege that Robbins arranged over the internet and through text messages to meet with what he believed to be a 12-year-old girl in Latham, New York, in order to engage in sexual activity with her.

The charges in the complaint and indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

If convicted, Robbins faces at least 10 years and up to life in prison. He also faces a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life, a fine of up to $250,000, and mandatory registration as a sex offender. A defendant's sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.

This case is being investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin S. Clark.

This case is prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney's offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/ .