Acting United States Attorney Andrew T. Baxter
Northern District of New York

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2008
WWW.USDOJ.GOV/USAO/NYN

THOMAS GORSIN PLEADS GUILTY

SYRACUSE, NY – Andrew T. Baxter, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of New York; John F. Pikus, Special Agent In Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Albany Division; and Steven H. Heider, Chief of Police, Town of Colonie Police Department, Colonie, New York, announced today that THOMAS K. GORSIN, age 53, of Clifton Park, New York, pled guilty before Senior U.S. District Judge Thomas J. McAvoy in United States District Court to a one-count Indictment charging GORSIN with using the computer services of America Online to attempt to persuade, induce, and entice a 14-year old individual to engage in sexual activity that is illegal under New York State law.

At his plea today, GORSIN admitted to meeting the 14-year old individual while working as a youth soccer referee at a tournament in June 2008. GORSIN admitted to subsequently using an America Online email account to communicate with an undercover FBI Task Force Office who had assumed the identity of the 14-year old. GORSIN also admitted to requesting that the 14-year old meet GORSIN for the purpose of engaging in sexual acts that, given the age of the 14-year old, would be illegal under New York State law.

Sentencing was scheduled by Judge McAvoy for April 13, 2009, in U.S. District Court in Albany. GORSIN faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a fine of $250,000.00, and a $100.00 special assessment. GORSIN remains in the custody of the United States Marshals Service.

This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Albany Field Office, and the Colonie Police Department.

CONTACT:

Nathaniel J. Dorfman
Assistant U.S. Attorney
(518) 431-0247