Ithaca man sentenced 25 years for weapon and child sex charges

ITHACA, N.Y. (WETM) — An Ithaca man was sentenced to serve more than 25 years in prison on several charges after trying to meet up with a 14-year-old child in April of 2023.

According to a release from the United States Attorney’s Office, 49-year-old Joel Cook was sentenced on Wednesday, March 20, to 151 months in prison for trying to coerce and entice a minor and an additional 151 months for the possession of a loaded handgun after being a prior convicted felon.

The release states that in March of 2023, Cook had sent sexual text messages to a 14-year-old child in an attempt to coerce them into having sexual conduct with him. The child did not respond to the messages but told their family who then contacted law enforcement.

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The release adds that police and the FBI took over the child’s identity and messaged Cook for nearly a month. During that time Cook continued to send sexual messages thinking he was talking to the child, while asking for explicit pictures from the child in return.

The documents said he was arrested on April 8, 2023, after arriving at a planned location where he thought he was meeting a child.

Following the arrest, a search of Cook’s home led to police finding a loaded Hi-Point, .380 caliber pistol hidden inside a hat in a dresser drawer in Cook’s bedroom. Officials say that Cook was prohibited from owning guns as a result of a 2022 Chemung County Court conviction for grand larceny in the third degree.

After his release, Cook is expected to serve 15 years of probation and be required to register as a sex offender.

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