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Zachary Williams, 37, was found guilty in federal court on Monday, July 22 of two counts of interstate travel to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor, production of and possession of child pornography, and coercion and enticement of a minor, New Jersey's U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger said in a news release.
According to court documents and trial evidence, Williams met the victim through Snapchat in September 2020. He told the 13-year-old that he was 17 when he was actually 33.
Williams asked the teen for nude pictures and once he received them, he began threatening to send the photos to the teen's friends and family. He then began to "sextort" the victim and convinced the teen to meet him at the Atlantic County hotel to delete the pictures from his phone.
Investigators said Williams traveled to the hotel on Friday, Oct. 2, 2020, and sexually assaulted the teen in his room two days later.
"Afterward, despite his earlier promises, Williams continued to send messages to the minor threatening to expose the minor’s nude photographs," said Sellinger.
Police arrested Williams in a sting operation in March 2021. Officers posed as the victim and lured him to the same hotel.
Several pictures of child pornography were found on his phone, including other victims from New York state and Connecticut. Williams also has pending charges in those two states.
Prosecutors said Williams faces 15 to 30 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, mandatory restitution to the victims, and lifetime supervised release.
Sentencing was scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 4.
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