CLINTON — A Clinton man was arrested and charged for allegedly attempting to pay $150 to have sex with a purported 15-year-old minor, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts announced today.
James Gill, 39, was charged with one count of attempted sex trafficking of a minor. He was arrested by state authorities in April 2026 and is currently in federal custody, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.
Gill was scheduled to appear in federal court in Worcester on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, at 4:00 p.m.
According to charging documents, Gill allegedly responded to an advertisement posted by undercover law enforcement on a website commonly used to advertise commercial sex. Federal prosecutors say Gill later communicated by text message and phone with an undercover agent who was posing as the sister of a purported 15-year-old girl. The agent allegedly told Gill the minor was available for commercial sex acts.
During those communications, Gill allegedly agreed to pay $150 to meet the 15-year-old and stated that he intended to record the sexual encounter. Gill also allegedly requested photographs of the purported minor and sent a nude photograph of himself to be shown to her, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts reported.
Gill was arrested when he arrived at a prearranged hotel to meet the purported minor.
The charge of attempted sex trafficking of a child carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison, followed by at least five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jeff Grimming, acting special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Worcester Police Chief Paul B. Saucier announced the charge. The Massachusetts State Police provided assistance in the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen M. Noto of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
