A Groveton resident has been sentenced to more than four years in federal prison after admitting to traveling from New Hampshire to Vermont to sexually abuse a minor. The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan.
Brandon Couture, 39, received a sentence of 51 months in prison and seven years of supervised release from U.S. District Court Judge Samantha Elliott. Couture pleaded guilty on May 22, 2025, to one count of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual activity.
“This defendant’s conduct was predatory and calculated. He crossed state lines with the sole purpose of abusing a child,” said U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan. “This 51-month sentence underscores our commitment to protecting children from those who aim to exploit them, and it sends a clear message: If you prey on minors, we will use every tool and resource at our disposal to investigate you, prosecute you, and ensure you are held accountable.”
“It’s grimly ironic that Brandon Couture, a father himself, admitted to actively planning, and traveling across state lines to sexually abuse a 15-year-old girl. This predator victimized a vulnerable minor and with today’s sentence, he’ll pay a steep price for his atrocious behavior,” said Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Division. “Those who sexually exploit children do serious lasting harm, and the FBI is committed to finding and bringing them to justice.”
Couture was arrested on June 13, 2024 following an investigation that found he had traveled between states for the purpose of engaging in criminal sexual activity with a minor.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation into Couture’s actions. The Northumberland Police Department and Essex County Sheriff’s Department in Vermont also assisted with the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Vicinanzo prosecuted.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood—a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006—to address child sexual exploitation by coordinating federal, state, and local resources aimed at investigating offenders and rescuing victims (https://www.justice.gov/psc).
