East Greenwich Resident Allegedly Sought 'Open Minded Parents' Willing To Let Daughter Go 'Naked In A Group Setting'

EAST GREENWICH, RI– Stephen Ferrante, 61, of East Greenwich, was ordered detained in federal custody Thursday, according to U.S. Atty. Peter Neronha.

Police allege he was looking for “open minded” parents willing to allow their daughter to “be naked in a group setting and posted an advertisement to that effect on Craigslist on Jan. 4.

A state police detective, assigned to the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, responded to the advertisement, Neronha's office said.

"Ferrante was led to believe that he was communicating with the stepfather of an 8-year-old girl," Neronha said. "Over the next eight days, communications by email, text message and telephone became sexually explicit, during which time Ferrante expressed a strong interest to engage in sexual activity with the 8-year-old girl."

According to court documents, on Jan. 12, "Ferrante and the State Police detective agreed to meet in person in Warwick, at which time Ferrante believed the 8-year-old girl would be made available to him to engage in sexual activity."

Instead, Ferrante was arrested and charged with two counts of solicitation.

The official federal charge is attempting to persuade, induce, entice or coerce an individual who has not attained the age of 18 years to engage in sexual activity, Neronha's office said. He was arraigned in U.S. District Court in Providence before Magistrate Judge Lincoln D. Almond.

If convicted, Ferrante faces 10 years to life imprisonment followed by up to lifetime supervised release, and a fine of $250,000.

Neronha's office also noted "a federal criminal complaint is merely an allegation and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt."

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