Summary: Florida State University’s former deputy general counsel was convicted for trying to have sexual relations with a minor.
The former deputy general counsel for Florida State University was convicted last week for attempted enticement of a minor. Dayton Michael Cramer was arrested last year as a result of a child sex sting.
The jurors in the federal court deliberated for less than an hour with the guilty verdict. Cramer will be sentenced June 15. The mandatory minimum sentence is 10 years for the crime but can be up to life in prison. Cramer’s attorney, Tim Jansen, told the Tallahassee Democrat that they will be appealing the conviction. He said, “We believe there was insufficient evidence to support the conviction.”
Cramer was first arrested February 14, 2017, as part of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s online sting. The sting, referred to as “Operation Cupid’s Arrow”, involved online postings made by undercover agents. Cramer responded to one of the ads by a “mother” of a 13-year-old girl. The ad stated that she was “trying to get her step-daughter some ‘experience’ from an older man.”
The 71-year-old claimed he was 59 in his reply to the ad, making it clear he understood the “girl” was just 13. Cramer messaged the women for several days, at one point sending a photo of his genitals. He did say he was married and a lawyer, questioning if any law enforcement was involved. When he arrived at the arranged meeting place, Cramer was arrested.
Cramer, a retired U.S. colonel, has worked as a lawyer for 44-years. His roles include as chief legal counsel for the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York and as a senior law clerk to Judge Charles R. Richey. Judge Richey presided over a variety of Watergate matters. He also claims on his LinkedIn page that he served “three tours in the Pentagon.”
The university put Cramer on leave once they learned of his arrest last year. FSU officials began the formal steps to fire Cramer but he quit before he was fired. He had worked for the school since 2000, earning $161,575 a year.
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To learn more about attorneys who were caught soliciting sex from minors, read these articles:
- Maryland Criminal Defense Lawyer Picked Up for Soliciting Sex from a Minor
- Disbarred NY Attorney Dmitry Shubov Arrested for Sexual Relationship with 14-Year-Old
- Former Judge Paul Pressler Accused of Sexual Abuse of a Minor
Photo: firstcoastnews.com