Wolcott man who tried to have sex with 12-year-old pleads guilty

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Jacob Ritchie, 37, of Wolcott, pleaded guilty to distributing child pornography following a prior conviction for a child sex abuse offense. The charge carries a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum of 80 years, a lifetime period of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who is handling the case, said that between November 2021, and February 2022, Ritchie engaged in sexually explicit online communications with an undercover New York State Police Investigator, who Ritchie believed was a 12-year-old female. He attempted to persuade \her to meet him for sex.

In February, investigators executed a search warrant at Ritchie’s residence, where they found a cell phone containing dozens of images of child pornography. A search of his social media found that he engaged in multiple online conversations during which he openly discussed sexually abusing children and traded child pornography. Ritchie admitted to sexually abusing multiple children, to include a child as young as five-years-old. He is a level 3 sex offender following child sexual abuse convictions in 2012, 2016, and 2017.

Sentencing is scheduled for January 10, 2023.