Indian Time - A Voice from the Eastern Door

New documents filed in US federal court show details of the months-long investigation that led to the arrest of Christopher Terrance, Akwesasne, age 34, in August. The investigation began this past summer in early July when an Akwesasne father alerted the St. Regis Mohawk Tribal Police that his daughter was receiving sexually explicit messages through Facebook Messenger.

Terrance allegedly began messaging the then 15-year-old teenager, in April 2017.

Tribal Police became involved in July 2018 when two officers took over the exchange between Terrance and the young 16-year-old girl through Messenger, and later using text messages.

According to court documents, the father knew who the man was and granted permission to the SRMTP to access his daughter’s Facebook account.

Terrance is facing U.S. federal charges of attempted enticement and coercion of a minor using a “facility of interstate commerce”. Leaving his residence on the ‘Canadian side’ on August 1, 2018, he attempted travel to the ‘U.S. side’ with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. He stopped at a local coffee shop and was arrested by Tribal Police.

According to court documents, Terrance waived his Miranda Rights and told officers he knew the girl was 16 and admitted to purchasing the condoms found in his pocket that night.

In New York, individuals ages 16 or younger are not legally able to consent to sexual activity.

According to copies of the text messages contained in documents filed with the Northern New York District U.S. Federal Court, his text messages included remarks like ‘what color panties are you wearing’, ‘soooo excited’, ‘Oh baby!, text you in a bit… after I get my picture…lol.’ Eventually Terrance allegedly sent her an explicit photo of a part of his body and just before his arrest, suggesting he could get the girl pregnant that night.

The SRMTP said in a statement that the arrest was the result of an “extensive social media investigation.” When the SRMTP were contacted they could offer “no further comment” because this is an “ongoing investigation.”

The investigation is now being led by a special agent with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Homeland Security Investigations.

The U.S. Attorney’s office said through a spokesperson it would not comment beyond what was already filed in court documents.

Federal investigators are now searching for any evidence of child pornography, according to affidavits filed Nov. 20, as part of separate warrant applications filed by a Homeland Security Special Agent, to examine two of Terrance’s cellphones and obtain his Facebook account activity.

Terrance is currently in custody and a trial date has not been set.