From Tuesday, April 30, through Sunday, Sept. 1 of this year, Robert Fidler age 66, of Nyack engaged in internet chats and attempted to arrange meetings with what he thought were two teenage girls, the Rockland County District Attorney's Office said.
An undercover officer of the DA Office's Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force had assumed the personas of 13- and 14-year-old girls.
During the conversations, Fidler described how he and the undercover officer would engage in sexual contact when they met, Rockland DA Thomas E. Walsh II said.
Fidler has been charged with two counts each of:
- Attempted disseminating indecent material to a minor,
- Attempted endangering the welfare of a child.
“This arrest is a stark reminder that there are individuals who are using the internet to target and exploit innocent children in our community," Walsh said. "This is a warning to any sexual predator: If you prey on children in Rockland County, we will find you, and you will face the full consequences under the law."
The DA's Office was assisted in the investigation by the following agencies:
- Homeland Security Investigations,
- Clarkstown Police Department,
- Orangetown Police Department,
- Ramapo Police Department.
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