An Ithaca man faces federal charges after allegedly trying to lure a girl under 12 years old via text messages.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York, 44-year-old David Pastorello was arrested Tuesday and charged with enticement of a minor and distribution of child pornography.
Prosecutors say Pastorello repeatedly requested sexual contact with the child while sending images of himself and images considered child pornography. He ended up entering the victim’s apartment without permission before fleeing.
Pastorello had been out on bond related to two other incidents that were proceeding through the Tompkins County and Cortland County courts – possessing a sexual performance by a child less than 16 from May and disseminating indecent material to a minor from earlier in July .
Pastorello is currently in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. If convicted on both charges, Pastorello could face between 15 years and life in federal prison.
