LAKE GEORGE — Scott Westervelt, 46, of Bennington, Vermont, pled guilty Thursday to interstate travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a 12-year-old.

Between January and June 2022, Westervelt exchanged sexually explicit messages online with someone posing as a man who was sexually abusing a 12-year-old boy. Westervelt arranged to meet the man and boy on June 14, 2022 in Lake George to engage in illicit sexual conduct.

Westervelt will be sentenced on Dec. 15, 2023 by Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes. Under the terms of Westervelt’s plea agreement, the parties have jointly recommended to Sannes that he receive a prison term of at least 70 months and no more than 87 months, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least five years and up to life. Westervelt would also have to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.