Rabbi Peter Schaktman arrested in New York child-sex sting with incriminating hotel item
Rabbi Peter Schaktman and seven other men were detained in an undercover operation by New York State Police and the FBI, accused of attempting to arrange sex with a teen. Police said Schaktman was found with a sex-lubricant at a hotel.
During a two-day undercover operation on Aug. 27-28, New York State Police, assisted by the FBI, arrested Rabbi Peter Schaktman along with seven other men on charges of second-degree attempted rape. The men had used text and messaging apps to arrange sexual encounters, mistakenly thinking they were dealing with a 14- or 15-year-old boy. The planned meetings were set at hotels or hotel parking areas in Syracuse, Liverpool and Salina, with each suspect contacted separately by law enforcement.
An undercover officer pretended to be the teenager, and when Schaktman was taken into custody, officers found a sex-lubricant in his luggage. Assistant District Attorney Jarrett Woodfork said each individual “came in contact with law enforcement during their search for an actual child.” Temple Emanu-El, the rabbi’s congregation in Utica, said he was suspended and that the temple is fully cooperating with the investigation.
Why it matters
The case highlights ongoing law-enforcement efforts against child-exploitation networks and raises concerns about clergy misconduct.
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