Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Michael Kirkland, age 30, of Clifton Park, New York, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for attempting to entice and coerce a 12-year-old child into sexual activity.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
As part of his previously entered guilty plea, Kirkland admitted that on August 11, 2022, he exchanged sexually explicit text messages with someone he believed was an adult offering the sexual services of a 12-year old girl, in an attempt to entice the child into engaging in sexual acts with him. Kirkland also admitted that on August 11, 2022, he traveled to a hotel in Saratoga County, New York, with the intent to engage in sexual acts with the 12-year-old girl. Kirkland was arrested by law enforcement shortly after arriving at the location.
United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci also imposed a 10-year term of post-imprisonment supervised release. Kirkland will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
The FBI’s Mid-State Child Exploitation Task Force and Capital Region Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force investigated the case. Each task force is comprised of FBI Special Agents, as well as state and local police investigators, including from the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allen J. Vickey prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.