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Rensselaer County resident Brian Botsford, of Troy, appeared in federal court in Albany Monday, July 18, where he formally admitted that he attempted to coerce and entice the teen into engaging in sexual acts with him.
Federal prosecutors said that between July and August 2020, Botsford sent sexually explicit text messages to an undercover police officer who was posing as the 13-year-old girl.
Botsford repeatedly asked the teen for naked photos and sent sexually explicit images of himself, prosecutors said.
He also told the girl he wanted her to run away with him and live in an abandoned building, and that he wanted to get her pregnant, according to prosecutors.
Botsford was arrested by undercover police in August 2020 after showing up to meet the girl for sex in Troy.
He now faces between 10 years and life in prison, and a fine of up to $250,000. He must also register as a sex offender upon his release.
Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 17 at the federal courthouse in Albany.
The case is being prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood, a coordinated effort between local, state, and federal agencies to track down individuals who exploit children using the internet.
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