Jerod Schaffer, 42, of Potsdam, New York, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to sexual exploitation of a child and receipt and possession of child pornography. The sentencing took place in Utica, New York.
Schaffer had previously been convicted in Franklin County, New York, in 2014 for attempted sexual abuse in the first degree. Due to that conviction, he was required to register as a sex offender. According to his guilty plea in this case, Schaffer met a 14-year-old girl on a social media platform in November 2021 and began requesting and receiving sexually explicit images from her. In early 2022, he traveled from New York to Ohio where he engaged in sexual conduct with the minor on multiple occasions and recorded it. When law enforcement searched Schaffer’s home in May 2022, they found dozens of sexually explicit files involving the victim.
Senior United States District Judge David N. Hurd also ordered Schaffer to serve a ten-year term of supervised release following his imprisonment. He will be required to continue registering as a sex offender after his release.
Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated: “This sentence ensures that a child rapist, who recorded the abuse he inflicted on his victim, will remain in federal prison for decades to come. Our community is safer with this pedophile behind bars. My Office will continue to work with our federal and state partners to ensure that child predators get what they deserve.”
HSI Special Agent in Charge Erin Keegan said: “Jerod Schaffer willfully and repeatedly exploited a 14-year-old girl whom he traveled across state lines to meet. While no amount of justice can undo the trauma this victim incurred, today’s sentence ensures this child predator will not soon roam free.”
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Potsdam Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Michael D. Gadarian and Adrian S. LaRochelle prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Project Safe Childhood is an initiative led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along with the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). The program coordinates federal, state, and local resources to address online child exploitation crimes and aims both to prosecute offenders and identify victims nationwide.
More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at https://www.justice.gov/psc.
