U.S. Attorney Charges Dutchess County Man With Coercion And Enticement Of A Minor

United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced today the arrest of Gregory Graff in connection with communicating online with an individual he believed to be a 13-year-old girl and attempting to meet the individual to engage in sexual activities. Graff was taken in federal custody today, presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew E. Krause in White Plains federal court, and detained.

"Gregory Graff is every parent's nightmare," said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. "He allegedly used the internet to convince an individual, whom he believed to be a minor, to meet him for sexual activity. This prosecution shows that we will use every tool available to law enforcement to prosecute and punish to the fullest extent of the law those who exploit New York's most vulnerable citizens: our children. There may be other victims. If you have information to report, please contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or https://tips.fbi.gov."

As alleged in the Complaint:[1]

On January 21 and January 22, 2026, a New York State Police Investigator ("Investigator-1"), posing as a 13-year-old girl named "Sammi" on a social media application, communicated with GRAFF. During the communications, GRAFF asked "Sammi" for sexually explicit photos and indicated that he wanted to meet with her to have sex.

Furthermore, in her conversations with GRAFF, Investigator-1 referred on multiple occasions to the fact that she was 13 years old, also telling GRAFF that she was in 8^th grade. Among other things, GRAFF told her, "It's risky to talk to you but it's quite hot." GRAFF described in detail various sexual activities that he wanted to engage in with her and said that he would want her to call him "daddy" when they have sex. During their communications, GRAFF sent Investigtor-1 a number of sexually explicit photos, as well photos of his face, including this one:

On January 21, 2026, GRAFF made a plan to meet "Sammi" in Orange County, New York. On January 22, 2026, when GRAFF arrived at the agreed-upon meeting spot, he was arrested by the New York State Police. Following his arrest, GRAFF was charged in the Town of Wallkill with Attempted Rape in the Second Degree, Attempted Act in the Manner to Injure a Child Less than 17, and Disseminating Indecent Material to Minors in the 1^st Degree.

There may be other victims. If you have information to report, please contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or https://tips.fbi.gov.

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GRAFF, 27, of Poughkeepsie, New York is charged with one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, which carries a minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison.

The statutory minimum and maximum sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

Mr. Clayton praised the efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's New York Hudson Valley Safe Streets Task Force, New York State Police Troop F - Computer Crimes Unit, New York State Police Troop K, the Orange County District Attorney's Office, and the Dutchess County District Attorney's Office.

The prosecution is being handled by the Office's White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marcia S. Cohen and John Wynne are in charge of the prosecution.