Registered Sex offender Charged With Possession Of Child Pornography

CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051

BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that James A. Stivers, 65, of Lockport, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possession of child pornography. The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a $250,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Caitlin M. Higgins, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, after tracing to the defendant an image of child pornography that was uploaded to the internet, investigators secured a search warrant for Stiver’s residence. During the execution of that warrant, investigators seized various computers, electronic devices, and electronic media. A preliminary review found some of the devices contained images of child pornography.

Stivers was previously convicted of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree in August 1995 in Niagara County Court, and is a registered sex offender.

The defendant made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder, Jr. and is being held pending a detention hearing on October 21, 2019. 

The complaint is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly. 

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