United States Attorney's Office District of Connecticut
Press Release

Connecticut Computer Crimes Task Force: CHESHIRE MAN SENTENCED TO FEDERAL PRISON FOR USING THE INTERNET TO ENTICE MINOR TO ENGAGE IN SEX

Kevin J. O’Connor, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that PAUL R. CANTORE, age 48, of 262C Robin Lane, Cheshire, Connecticut, was sentenced in New Haven federal court today for his conviction on a charge of using a facility of interstate commerce to attempt to entice or coerce a juvenile to engage in sexual activity. Senior United States District Judge Ellen B. Burns imposed a prison sentence of 63 months, to be followed by twelve years of supervised release. In addition, Judge Burns ordered CANTORE to register as a sex offender as a condition of his supervised release.

According to documents filed with the Court and statements made in court, CANTORE engaged in internet discussions with persons he believed to be three different 13-year-old girls, but were, in fact, undercover law enforcement agents posing as 13-year-old girls. CANTORE then enticed an undercover officer posing as a teenage girl to meet with him for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity. On April 30, 2004, law enforcement agents surveilled CANTORE as he left his Cheshire residence and traveled to the Westfarms Mall where CANTORE had arranged to meet the person he thought was a young girl, but was, in fact, an undercover agent. CANTORE was arrested by investigators from the Connecticut Computer Crimes Task Force and detectives from the West Hartford Police Department at the mall near the meeting location he had arranged. CANTORE has been detained since the date of his arrest.

“The federal government and our state and local law enforcement partners will continue to work tirelessly to police the internet in order to protect Connecticut’s children,” U.S. Attorney O’Connor stated.

This case was investigated by the Connecticut Computer Crimes Task Force with assistance from officers of the Cheshire and West Hartford Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anastasia Enos.

The Connecticut Computer Crimes Task Force includes agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Connecticut State Police, Connecticut Chief State’s Attorney’s Office, Defense Criminal Investigation Service, Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation Division, United States Secret Service, and detectives from the Glastonbury, New Britain, Milford and New Haven Police Departments. The Task Force was formed in February 2003 to investigate crimes occurring over the internet. These crimes include computer intrusion, internet fraud, copyright violations, internet threats and harassment and on-line crimes against children. The Task Force also provides computer forensic review services for participating agencies. The Task Force is housed in the main FBI office in New Haven, Connecticut. For more information about the Task Force, please contact the FBI at 203-777-6311 or via e-mail at ifcc.nh@fbi.gov.

CONTACT:

U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
thomas.carson@usdoj.gov