ALBANY, NEW YORK – Donald Jenkins, age 37, of Clarksville, Tennessee, pled guilty on Monday to traveling across state lines to the Capital Region with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor.  Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement.

Jenkins admitted that in September 2024 he began communicating with an individual to discuss and plan his sexual abuse of someone he believed to be an 11-year-old child residing in Clifton Park, New York.  Jenkins ultimately devised a plan to rent a car in Tennessee and drive to Clifton Park in order to sexually abuse the child.  On November 19, 2024, Jenkins was arrested after arriving in Clifton Park at a prearranged meeting location.  He admitted that he obtained a sexually transmitted disease (STD) test earlier in the day and brought numerous pairs of child’s underwear as a gift for the minor.

United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated: “No matter where you reside, if you try to prey on children in the Northern District of New York, we will find you, arrest you, and seek to convict you and punish you to the fullest extent of the law.”

HSI Special Agent in Charge Erin Keegan stated: “Donald Jenkins rented a car, obtained child’s underwear and STD testing kits, and traveled across state lines as part of his plan to sexually abuse someone whom he believed was an 11-year-old child. I thank personnel with HSI Albany, the Northern District of New York, and the New York State Police, for consistently taking proactive steps to protect the public from predators.”

Jenkins is scheduled to be sentenced by United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci on November 12, 2025.  He faces a maximum term of 30 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life, and mandatory registration as a sex offender.  A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.

HSI and the New York State Police investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin S. Clark is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood.

Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS).  Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.