Sex Offender Convicted Again

The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Michael E. Fisher, age 39, was convicted yesterday after a jury trial in Burlington of attempting to persuade, induce, entice or coerce a minor to engage in illegal sex, using a facility of interstate commerce.

In late February 2015, Fisher contacted several area middle school girls, aged 12-14, through Facebook. The girls reported the contacts to their parents and to the Burlington Police Department. Fisher has a 2003 State of Vermont felony conviction for luring minors, and a 2010 federal conviction for failing to register as a sex offender. In March 2015, the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (“ICAC”) initiated an investigation. An ICAC official and South Burlington Police Sergeant Andrew Chaulk made undercover contact with Fisher on Facebook, posing as a 13-year-old middle school student. Over the course of three days, Fisher sent a multitude of Facebook messages to the purported student, pressing her to have sex with him. He urged her to meet him at Dorset Street Park in South Burlington at noon on April 3, 2015, to have sex in a public restroom. Among other things, Fisher promised the girl that he would bring cigarettes, a beer, and a condom. He also sent her a Google Maps link to the location. Upon arrival at the park on April 3 at noon, he was arrested by a U.S. Secret Service agent assisting in the investigation, and Sgt. Chaulk. Along with the two mobile phones that Fisher had used to access the Internet and send the Facebook messages, he had brought cigarettes, a beer, and a condom.

At a jury trial this week before Chief United States District Court Judge Christina Reiss in Burlington, Vermont, the jury heard testimony from the three area middle school girls. The jury also heard testimony from Burlington Police officers, South Burlington Police officers, and the assisting U.S. Secret Service agent. The government also provided evidence of the many Facebook messages that Fisher sent to the undercover officer, along with evidence of Fisher contacting numerous young girls in early 2015. Yesterday the jury returned a guilty verdict.

Fisher has been detained by the U.S. Marshal’s Service since his arrest. Chief Judge Reiss scheduled sentencing for June 2016. Fisher was represented by Federal Public Defender Michael Desautels. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Darrow and Kunal Pasricha.