11/18/2025
BUFFALO — A Salamanca man is facing up to 24 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to trying to meet a pr***en girl for s*x in a local store.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York reported that Jack Sherlock, 56, pleaded guilty Nov. 3 before U.S. District Judge Lawrence Vilardo to attempted enticement of a minor.
According to the criminal complaint, Homeland Security Investigations agents received a report that a Pennsylvania-based citizens group had created a fake profile for a 12-year-old girl in Salamanca which had been contacted by Sherlock. HSI agents then communicated with Sherlock for several weeks, with Sherlock making a number of s*xually explicit comments. He requested the child send explicit photographs of herself and a relative, and discussed meeting in person to engage in s*xual activity.
He sought to meet the child at Dollar Tree in Salamanca on Dec. 4, 2024. Instead of the child, HSI agents and Salamanca police met Sherlock at the store, with Sherlock volunteering to go to the Salamanca Police Department to be interviewed. He confessed to the crime during the interview, prosecutors said.
The charge carries a penalty of 10 years to life in prison, but the plea agreement calls for between 11 to 24 years depending on a court decision.
According to the plea agreement, the court needs to decide if Sherlock engaged in a pattern of activity involving prohibited s*xual conduct before issuing a sentence. If the rule does not apply, the plea agreement calls for 11 years three months to 14 years in prison, a fine of $35,000 to $250,000, and five years to life of supervised release. If the rule applies, the plea agreement calls for 19 years seven months to 24 years five months in prison, a fine of $40,000 to $250,000, and five years to life of supervised release.
Sentencing is scheduled for March 13 before Vilardo.
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.
Due to the federal government shutdown, press releases on prosecutions were not sent to media outlets until this week.
https://www.oleantimesherald.com/2025/11/17/salamanaca-man-pleads-guilty-attempted-enticement-child/?fbclid=IwY2xjawOJiKZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEekeNSYe_b6ZsYxGk57cgz7xdvD9gFpOmGquOZxkscHqqrWk8xVXfnVTlj-MA_aem_DgX3A4a0rLi-WGKw55v0HQ
BUFFALO — A Salamanca man is facing up to 24 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to trying to meet a pr***en girl for s*x in a local store. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York reported that Jack Sherlock, 56, pleaded guilty Nov. 3 before U.S. District Judge ...
