Groveton Man Sentenced to More Than 4 Years in Federal Prison for Traveling Across State Lines to Engage in Sexual Abuse of a Minor

CONCORD - A Groveton man was sentenced to more than 4 years in federal prison for traveling from New Hampshire to Vermont to sexually abuse a minor victim, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces.

Brandon Couture, 39, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Samantha Elliott to 51 months imprisonment and 7 years of supervised release. On May 22, 2025, Couture pleaded guilty to one count of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual activity.

"This defendant's conduct was predatory and calculated. He crossed state lines with the sole purpose of abusing a child," said U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan. "This 51-month sentence underscores our commitment to protecting children from those who aim to exploit them, and it sends a clear message: If you prey on minors, we will use every tool and resource at our disposal to investigate you, prosecute you, and ensure you are held accountable."

"It's grimly ironic that Brandon Couture, a father himself, admitted to actively planning, and traveling across state lines to sexually abuse a 15-year-old girl. This predator victimized a vulnerable minor and with today's sentence, he'll pay a steep price for his atrocious behavior," said Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Boston Division. "Those who sexually exploit children do serious lasting harm, and the FBI is committed to finding and bringing them to justice."

On June 13, 2024, Couture was arrested after a law enforcement investigation revealed that had he traveled from New Hampshire to Vermont to engage in criminal sexual activity with a minor victim.

The investigation was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Northumberland Police Department and the Essex County, Vermont Sheriff's Department provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Vicinanzo prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the DOJ's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

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