Arkansas man sentenced to almost 7 years for traveling to have sex with Vermont 15-year-old

RUTLAND

A 25-year-old Arkansas man was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Rutland to six years and 9 months in jail followed by 15 years of supervised release on Wednesday, Nov. 20 after an earlier guilty plea of traveling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct.

According to court records, in March 2023, while living in Hope, Arkansas, Nicholas Shelton began communicating with a 15-year-old girl who lived in Vermont using two social media platforms. During their conversations, Shelton and his victim began discussing having sexual intercourse, getting married, and having children.

On March 25, 2023, Shelton traveled to Vermont with the intent to engage in sexual activity with the minor victim, knowing she was only 15 years old. Shelton was discovered living in the garage of the 15-year-old victim’s family home, and ordered to leave by the child’s parents. Shortly thereafter, the 15-year-old ran away from home, prompting the family to call the police for assistance.

Two days later, the 15-year-old child and Shelton were found camping in the woods near a park in Essex. Shelton admitted to having intercourse with the 15-year-old child.

Shelton was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Joseph N. Laplante.