A Suffolk County Community College adjunct professor has been charged in federal court with attempting to entice a minor and possessing child sexual abuse material after allegedly arranging to meet what he believed was a 13-year-old girl, authorities said Friday.
Philip Schuler, 53, of Port Jefferson, was arraigned on a seven-count indictment charging attempted coercion and enticement of a minor and child pornography offenses. He was ordered detained pending trial by U.S. Magistrate Judge James M. Wicks.
“Philip Schuler allegedly sent explicit photos and messages to a supposed teenage girl before planning to sexually abuse her in person. This alleged attempt revealed the defendant’s disturbing desire to repeatedly groom and exploit a vulnerable child. The FBI continues to protect minors from online sexual predators looking to fulfill their twisted wants,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.
Federal prosecutors said Schuler was arrested in January 2026 following an investigation in which an FBI agent posed as a 13-year-old girl online.
According to court filings, the investigation began in October 2025 after a tip from the Decoy Project, a nonprofit that identifies suspected online predators. An undercover FBI agent, posing as a girl named “Chloe,” began communicating with Schuler on Discord.
Authorities allege that over the course of months of near-daily communication, Schuler engaged in sexually explicit conversations with the undercover agent.
On January 7, 2026, Schuler allegedly arranged to meet the supposed minor at Edward W. Cahill Memorial Park in Valley Stream. When he arrived, FBI agents arrested him.
Investigators said Schuler had rented a motel room earlier that day and brought items intended for the meeting, including spermicide and gifts. A laptop was also recovered from the room.
The case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative launched in 2006 that brings together federal, state, and local agencies to combat online child exploitation, prosecute offenders, and identify victims.
“As alleged, the defendant spent months communicating with an FBI undercover agent who purported to be a 13-year-old female child, during which the defendant repeatedly expressed his interest and willingness to have a sexual relationship with her,” said United States Attorney Nocella.
The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of the charges, Schuler faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and up to life in prison.
