A 66-year-old rabbi from Central New York has been arrested and charged with attempted rape after allegedly trying to meet who he believed was a 14-year-old boy for sex. The intended meeting was part of a multi-agency undercover sting operation.
Rabbi Peter B. Schaktman, of New Hartford, was arrested on the evening of August 27 in the town of Salina. According to court documents, Schaktman had been engaging in online communications with an undercover police officer who he believed to be a 14-year-old boy.
The criminal complaint alleges that Schaktman knew the person he was communicating with was underage and continued to arrange a sexual encounter.
Authorities state Schaktman showed up to the designated meeting location, the Staybridge Suites Hotel on Electronics Parkway, where he was met by law enforcement and taken into custody. He was charged with one count of attempted rape in the second degree, a felony.
Wider Child Exploitation Operation
Schaktman’s arrest was part of a broader, two-day online child exploitation operation conducted by the New York State Police’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force on August 27 and 28. The sting, which included assistance from the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations, resulted in the arrest of eight men.
All eight suspects were charged with attempted rape for allegedly seeking sexual contact with children under the age of 15 . Court documents show that some of the other suspects believed they were communicating with a 14-year-old girl.
Temple’s Response and Legal Proceedings
Schaktman serves as a rabbi at Temple Emanu-El in Utica. Following the arrest, the synagogue released a statement saying it was “shocked and deeply troubled” by the serious criminal charges. The temple immediately suspended Schaktman, barring him from performing rabbinic duties or entering the property pending the outcome of the legal process and its own internal review.
“It is heartbreaking that the suspect in this case is a respected member of the clergy,” the temple’s statement expressed, adding that its thoughts are with all those who may have experienced harm.
Schaktman was arraigned in Onondaga County Court on August 28 and pleaded not guilty to the charge. He is currently being held at the Onondaga County Justice Center on $100,000 cash bail or a $1 million bond.