Anthony Parente
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), James C. Barnacle, Jr., announced criminal charges against ANTHONY PARENTE for communicating online and over the phone with an individual he believed to be a 14-year-old girl and attempting to meet the individual to engage in sexual activities. PARENTE was taken into federal custody on April 2, 2026, and presented before Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith C. McCarthy in White Plains federal court on April 3, 2026.
“There is little we take more seriously than protecting our children,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “As alleged, Anthony Parente targeted someone he believed to be a teenaged girl for explicit enticement to participate in sexual activity and then traveled into the Southern District of New York with the intention of engaging in sex with a minor. New Yorkers abhor this alleged conduct; it has no place here. Our prosecutors and our FBI partners are committed to identifying and holding accountable those who attempt to prey on our children.”
“Anthony Parente allegedly engaged in sexually explicit conversations with a purported minor girl and planned to sexually abuse her before authorities arrested him,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr. “The FBI continues to partner with state and local law enforcement agencies to hold accountable any sexual predator who targets minors online for perverted gratification.”
As alleged in the Complaint:[1]
PARENTE was identified on March 27, 2026, as part of a multi-agency operation. PARENTE communicated with an undercover law enforcement officer (“Officer-1”) that PARENTE believed to be a 14-year-old girl using online chat applications, text messaging, and phone calls. During these exchanges, PARENTE discussed his sexual preferences with Officer-1 and provided instructions to Officer-1 as to how she might gratify them, in addition to asking for nude photographs. During their communications, PARENTE sent Officer-1 a number of photos of his face.
After a period of approximately six days, Officer-1 and PARENTE arranged a meet-up for sex. On April 2, 2026, PARENTE drove approximately two hours to the agreed-upon location, where he was taken into custody by New York State Police and found to have bondage equipment on his person. In a post-arrest statement made after being advised of his rights, PARENTE admitted that he had communicated with a 14-year-old girl and intended to engage in oral and vaginal intercourse with her.
Please read the allegations in this complaint and, if you think you see something similar, say something: call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or use the online tips page: https://tips.fbi.gov.
PARENTE, 30, of Loudonville, New York, is charged with one count of coercion and enticement of a minor. The statutory minimum for this charge is 10 years in prison, and the maximum is life in prison.
The statutory minimum and maximum sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI New York Office Hudson Valley Safe Streets Task Force, New York State Police Troop F – Computer Crimes Unit and Community Stabilization Unit, FBI Albany Field Office, New York State Police Troop G, and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York.
The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samantha Briggs is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
