The senior vice president at the Capital Region Chamber of Commerce has been charged with allegedly trying to entice a minor to have sex with him.
Peter Bardunias, a 59-year-old Clifton Park resident, has been working at the Chamber in various roles for nearly six years.
On Monday federal law enforcement agents conducted a sting operation following an investigation that began on September 25th that saw, over the course of a few weeks, Bardunias discuss wanting to engage in violent sexual activity with a girl he understood to only be 15 years old.
In the complaint filed in Federal Court this week, an investigator detailed some of the more graphic messages Bardunias sent to the supposed minor including wanting to beat, strangle, rape, and even torture her.
According to the report in one instance Bardunias said “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” [sic].
Then the report says Bardunias made plans to meet with the individual, and Monday afternoon he arrived at the location, a park across the street from where he thought the minor went to high school, and did two laps in his car before leaving.
Bardunias claimed to have traveled to the location to tell the girl he could not have a sexual relationship with her and that he had no intention to act on the messages sent to the undercover investigator.
Following a search of Bardunias’ home, law enforcement say they found items consistent with a proposed “torture chamber.”
How are people reacting to this?
The news of Bardunias' arrest, first covered by NewsChannel 13, has surprised many, with some people posting their reactions on Facebook.
Bardunias has been a fixture in the Capital Region. He had a very public role that included attending events and ribbon cuttings as a representative of the Chamber.
I spoke with him last year in Halfmoon for an event to unveil documents from the founding of the town.
“Much like we have our town meetings today, and when you think of all the contentiousness sometimes and all the things that happen, imagine what it was like in the 1700s when you’re planning a new community. They were arguing over what the county boundaries were going to be. And, of course, in the middle of all this was that little thing called the American Revolution. So, a lot of stuff was happening and it probably makes the troubles we see in today’s world pale by comparison to be honest,” said Bardunias.
What happens next?
Well, Bardunias appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Paul J. Evangelista on Tuesday and he is being held in custody before a bail hearing set for Friday.
Bardunias has not responded to a request for comment.
The Chamber said he has been placed on unpaid suspension and declined to comment further.
