Salamanca man who attempted to have sex with a 12-year-old girl pleads guilty to attempted enticement

BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Jack Sherlock, 56, of Salamanca, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to attempted enticement of a minor, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a fine of $250,000.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango, who is handling the case, stated that beginning on November 20, 2024, Sherlock began communicating on the internet with an undercover agent with the Department of Homeland Security posing as a 12-year-old girl. Between November 20 and December 4, 2024, Sherlock engaged in graphic sexual conversation with the person he believed to be a 12-year-old girl. During some of these online chats, he requested that the 12-year-old girl send him sexually explicit photographs of herself. He also discussed meeting the 12-year-old girl in person to engage in sexual activity. On December 3, 2024, Sherlock asked the 12-year-old girl to meet him in person so that they could engage in sexually activity. He arranged a time and place to meet the next day at a store in Salamanca. However, when Sherlock arrived at the store the next day, he was arrested by law enforcement.

The plea is the result of an investigation by the Salamanca Police Department, under the direction of Chief Jamie Deck, the Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Eric Butler, and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan.

Sentencing is scheduled for March 13, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. before Judge Vilardo.

# # # #