Former Journalist Convicted At Trial For Attempted Child Enticement

Geoffrey S. Berman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that PETER BRIGHT, a former technology editor for an online publication, was convicted in Manhattan federal court Monday of attempted child enticement.  BRIGHT was convicted after a one-week jury trial before U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel.

U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said:  “As the jury found, Peter Bright attempted the basest type of crime, arranging to engage in sex with young children.  Thanks to the FBI, Bright is in custody and facing serious prison time.”

According to the allegations contained in the Complaint, Indictment, and the evidence presented at trial:

In April 2019, BRIGHT reached out online to an undercover agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), who was posing as the mother of a 7-year-old girl and 9-year-old boy (the “Minors”).  Over the course of hundreds of chat communications, BRIGHT discussed with the undercover agent BRIGHT’s plan to meet the Minors to engage in sexual activity.  BRIGHT also requested photographs of the Minors.

In May 2019, BRIGHT met the undercover agent at a public park in New York, New York, for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity with the Minors.  As BRIGHT and the undercover agent began walking to the Minors’ residence, BRIGHT was arrested.

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BRIGHT, 39, of Brooklyn, New York, was convicted of one count of attempted enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison.  The maximum potential sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

BRIGHT is scheduled to be sentenced on June 29, 2020, at 11:30 a.m.

Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI.

The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit.  Assistant United States Attorneys Alexander Li, Michael D. Maimin, and Timothy T. Howard, and paralegal specialist Ariella Fetman, are in charge of the prosecution.