Overview
- Philip Schuler, 53, was charged in federal court with attempted enticement of a minor and ordered detained by U.S. Magistrate Judge Steven Locke after an arraignment in Central Islip.
- An FBI Crimes Against Children agent posing as “Chloe,” age 13, communicated with Schuler since late October after a September tip from The Decoy Project.
- Schuler was arrested at a Valley Stream park where he had arranged a meeting, and agents later reported finding spermicide, gifts, and a laptop in a Merrick motel room he had rented that day.
- Prosecutors say the offense carries a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison, and investigators are examining additional possible crimes, including child sexual abuse material and alleged prior sex with a different minor.
- Schuler’s attorney requested suicide watch due to mental-health concerns, and Suffolk County Community College placed the adjunct instructor on leave pending the investigation.