Business Leader Arrested for Trying to Solicit a Minor

A Saratoga County Business Leader has been arrested by the FBI after he allegedly tried to solicit sex from someone he believed was a 15-year-old girl. 

Peter Bardunias, 59 of Clifton Park was arrested and charged by federal prosecutors with attempted enticement of a minor, according to court documents filed on Oct. 7. 

Bardunias was charged after an investigation conducted by the FBI showed that he repeatedly messaged the supposed 15-year-old with violent sexual fantasies and traveled to Warrensburg to meet with the girl. 

Instead of meeting with the girl, however, Bardunias was arrested Oct. 6 by FBI agents who he had been unknowingly communicating with from the start. The investigation began in late September when an FBI agent posing as the 15-year-old first made contact with Bardunias in a private chat room. 

According to court documents, despite learning the age of the supposed girl, he continued to converse with the supposed girl and expressed his desire to meet with her and told her that he wanted to “strangle” and “torture” the girl — among other sexually charged and violent messages. 

“I want to see you scream and be in pain, I want you to struggle but its too late and cant get free….nobody will ever find you, Princess,” Bardunias is alleged to have said in one of the messages. 

While Bardunias tried to claim to agents that he had no intention of carrying out the acts, court documents claim the evidence says otherwise. 

“Based on my training and experience, I know that individuals who travel long distances to meet with someone they believe to be a minor often claim under questioning that they were not serious about their sexual desires, even when those desires have been previously expressed in writing,” an FBI agent wrote in the federal complaint. 

In addition to the messages, agents found a candy bar he allegedly planned to give to the 15-year-old as well as other items he allegedly said he would bring to the meeting. A later search of his home found items consistent with the message he had sent the undercover agent including items to build a “torture chamber,” which included restraints and a knife. 

According to the complaint, Bardunias admitted these items were his. 

“As alleged in the federal criminal complaint filed today, Peter Bardunias attempted to engage in what can only be described as heinous, unspeakable, and violent actions against a minor,” Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III said. “I am thankful that the FBI intervened to ensure that he was unable to follow through in any of this horrific activity with a real minor, and our community is safer tonight because Bardunias is behind bars.”

Pamela Bondi, current U.S. Attorney General said the case highlighted the need for parents to be vigilant regarding what their kids do online. 

“Parents need to be hyper-aware of conversations their children are having via text or online — predators often lurk behind screens,” Attorney General Pamela Bondi said. “This man’s alleged crimes are shocking, and our prosecutors will ensure he faces severe consequences for his evil conduct towards an innocent child.”

Bardunias is local businesses leader in the Capital Region. Prior to his arrest he served as Senior Vice President for Community Advancement with the Capital Region Chamber of Commerce — an organization he’d been with for over five years, according to his LinkedIn profile. Prior to that, he served as president of one of its affiliate organizations, the Chamber of Southern Saratoga County for over 8 years. 

In response to his arrest, the Chamber put out a statement to media acknowledging it and offering no further comment. 

“The Capital Region Chamber is aware that Peter Bardinuas has been taken into custody. He has been placed on unpaid suspension pending investigation,” the statement read “At this time the Chamber will not be making any additional comments on this investigation.”

If convicted, Bardunias potentially faces life in prison with a minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a supervised release period of at least five years.