German Man Charged With Travel to NY with Husband to Have Sex Gets 121 Months Prison

German Man Charged With Travel to NY with Husband to Have Sex Gets 121 Months Prison by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack SDNY COURTHOUSE, March 10 – German national Thomas Alexander Brandenstein was arrested for enticing a minor into sex. He was presented on October 2, 2023 before U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Magistrate Judge Stuart D. Aaron. Inner City Press was there, the only media in the SDNY Mag Court.   The Federal Defender argued that the three NYS statutes cited were "class E" felonies that required the use of force or compulsion, not just "emotional compulsion." She argued that sex with a 15 year old in not illegal in Germany.   The prosecutor noted the Brandstein and his husband traveled to New York specifically to have sex in a hotel with this 15 year old, and that he wanted to bailed out to a hotel. She also noted that law enforcement now has the defendant's phone and may charge "production."   Judge Aaron took a break with pre-trial services, then returned and ordered detention. The husband / co-defendant remained at large.  On March 4, 2024, the case was indicted as to both defendants and assigned to Judge Lewis A. Kaplan. On September 9, Federal Defenders wrote in that Brandenstein's mitigation report is running late, now due September 16 - and so proposing that a September 11 conference be cancelled. They add that Brandstein in the MDC is enrolled in an in-person course through Columbia University on Wednesdays, that he does not want to miss. On December 31 the US Attorney's Office wrote in to say it got the mitigation submission on October 23 and has not completed its review, to discuss "potential dispositions in this matter." On March 24 Federal Defenders wrote in that its appeal to the mitigation committee has been ruled on and they have "requested that the government provide us with a plea agreement for our review," and requesting a 30 day adjournment. On April 22 the US Attorney's Office wrote in again, now saying they are finalizing a plea agreement and expect it to be provided by the end of the week. On May 20 Federal Defenders wrote in asking to adjourn the May 22 conference for two weeks, as they got a draft plea agreement "last last week." On July 11, back to the form letter, adjourn 30 days "to discuss a potential resolution." On September 8 without any notice in the docket the defendant was in the SDNY Magistrates Court, which Inner City Press covers closely and was there. With a German interpreter beside him, he pled guilty to a 121-151 sentencing guideline. And on March 10, 2026 "ALEXANDER BRANDENSTEIN, a German national, was sentenced today to 121 months in prison by Judge Lewis A. Kaplan." The case is USA v. Brandenstein, et al., 1:24-cr-121 (Kaplan). *** Your support means a lot. As little as $5 a month helps keep us going and grants you access to exclusive bonus material on our Patreon page. Click here to become a patron. Feedback: Editorial [at] innercitypress.com SDNY Press Room 500 Pearl Street, NY NY 10007 USA Mail: Box 130222 NY NY 10013 Reporter's mobile (and weekends): 718-716-3540 Other, earlier Inner City Press are listed here, and some are available in the ProQuest service, and now on Lexis-Nexis.  Copyright 2006-2026 Inner City Press, Inc. To request reprint or other permission, e-contact Editorial [at] innercitypress.com