Cheektowaga man pleads guilty to child pornography charge

BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that John Stuart, 35, of Cheektowaga, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy to possession of child pornography involving a prepubescent minor, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000.

Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Rudroff, who is handling the case, stated that in August 2019, the FBI received a lead indicating that in May 2019, an online user accessed child sexual abuse and exploitation material via a website on the Tor network. Subsequent investigation traced the IP address to Stuart. In October 2020, a search warrant was executed at Stuart’s residence, during which law enforcement seized multiple electronic devices, including two laptop computers, a cell phone, a hard drive, and a desktop computer tower. A forensic review recovered approximately 8,000 videos and approximately 2,000 images of child pornography on one of the laptops, and approximately 150 images and one video of child pornography on the second laptop. Approximately 90 images and 150 videos of child pornography were recovered from the cell phone and approximately 90 images and two videos on the hard drive. Some of the images included depictions of violence against children.

Stuart also admitted during his plea that during the execution of the search warrant, law enforcement recovered live marijuana plants, more than a pound of dried marijuana ready for consumption, and that he was a chronic user of marijuana. Stuart was also found to be in possession of three firearms. Because he was a user of controlled substances, Stuart was legally prohibited from owning or possessing firearms.

The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Child Exploitation Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, and the Cheektowaga Police Department, under the direction of Chief Brian Coons. 

Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.    

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