Paul Sastrum, 36, pleaded guilty Tuesday to enticing a minor by computer. The plea was made as part of a deal in which he would be sentenced to five years in custody, execution suspended after 3½ years served, followed by 30 years of probation, court records indicate.
Sastrum, who was being held in lieu of $250,000 bail, is scheduled to next appear remotely for a hearing on Jan. 30, 2024, according to court records.
Sastrum is a registered sex offender and was on probation at the time of the incident, according to his arrest warrant. The registry says he was convicted of two counts of fourth-degree sexual assault of a minor in 2004 and one count of second-degree possession of child pornography in 2008.
His latest plea stems from a YouTube video in which a group of individuals claimed to have been corresponding with him online, one posing as a 14-year-old boy. The video was taken in the parking lot of a CVS on Post Road East on Dec. 21, 2021, when Sastrum agreed to meet with the individual posing as the young teen, according to his arrest warrant affidavit.
Westport police said once the individual claimed they were a 14-year-old boy, Sastrum made remarks that were graphically sexual in content and expressed a desire to meet in person.
Police learned of the video in February 2022 and spoke to the individuals in the video, which included two 17-year-old boys and a 20-year-old man. The group, who were not connected with law enforcement, said they had planned about three or four weeks before meeting Sastrum to “catch a pedophile in the act and to expose them to the community,” police said in the warrant.
Westport police arrested Sastrum on charges of enticing a minor by computer on Dec. 28, 2022.
After Sastrum’s arrest, Westport police said they did not condone the group’s activities.
“We would recommend anyone who suspects these activities are occurring, to contact their local police department and provide them all pertinent information so an investigation can be launched,” Lt. Eric Woods said at the time.
While some of these stings have resulted in arrests, authorities have criticized the practice as misguided and dangerous. Some vigilantes have even been accused of crimes for their efforts.
