Apalachin Man Sentenced on Child Pornography Charges
| U.S. Attorney’s Office August 17, 2011 |
Richard S. Hartunian, United States Attorney for the Northern District of New York; Clifford C. Holly, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Albany Division; David E. Harder, Broome County Sheriff; and James Dadamio, Director of Broome County Security Division, make the following announcement:
As a result of an investigation conducted by the Southern Tier Cyber Predator Task Force (STCPTF) , defendant Richard 1 Pierce, Jr., 47, of Apalachin, New York, was sentenced today in federal court in Binghamton, New York. Defendant Pierce was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison. Pierce had pleaded guilty on April 19, 2011 to the following five felony offenses:
Production of Child Pornography, Title 18, United States Code, Section 2251(a) & (e) [Two counts]
Distribution of Child Pornography, Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252(a)(2) [One count]
Receiving Child Pornography, Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252(a)(2) [One count]
Accessing with Intent to View/Possession of Child Pornography, Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252(a)(4)(B) [One count]
Pierce’s convictions included conduct whereby defendant Pierce produced child pornography by using a digital camera to videotape two minors approximately 10 years of age engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Additionally, Pierce distributed and received other child pornography materials using computers and the Internet.
Pierce is in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service and will be transferred to the U.S. Bureau Of Prisons.
In a separate matter and also as a result of an investigation conducted by the Southern Tier Cyber Predator Task Force (STCPTF), defendant Larry Cole, 42, of Lockwood, New York, pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Binghamton, New York. Defendant Larry Cole pleaded guilty to the following five felony offenses:
Production of Child Pornography, Title 18, United States Code, Section 2251(a) & (e) [Two counts]
Distribution of Child Pornography, Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252(a)(2) [One count]
Receiving Child Pornography, Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252(a)(2) [One count]
Accessing with Intent to View/Possession of Child Pornography, Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252(a)(4)(B) [One count]
At the time of sentencing, defendant Cole faces a statutory mandatory minimum imprisonment term of 15 years in federal prison and a possible maximum imprisonment term of 30 years. Defendant Cole also faces a possible maximum fine of $250,000. Sentencing has been scheduled for December 6, 2011. Cole is incarcerated and will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service until sentencing.
In pleading guilty, Larry Cole admitted the following facts: Between July of 2010 and November of 2010, defendant Cole chatted online via the Internet and computers from his residence in Lockwood, New York with three separate undercover police officers (UCs). Cole communicated with a UC in Canada and with two other separate UCs in the United States (outside NY State). During his communications with the Canadian UC, Cole told the UC that he was sexually abusing a minor and taking photographs of the minor in sexually explicit acts. Using a digital camera, Cole took sexually explicit photographs of a 10-year-old minor. Cole next distributed/sent via computer and Internet to the Canadian UC several images of child pornography of the 10 year old minor. The Canadian authorities contacted the Southern Tier Cyber Predator Task Force (STCPTF) which then resulted in the apprehension and arrest of Larry Cole.
Additionally, Cole distributed and received other child pornography materials using computers and the Internet.
Both cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Miroslav Lovric. Further inquiries may be directed to the United States Attorney’s Office, Binghamton branch office at (607) 773-2887.
1 The Southern Tier Cyber Predator Task Force (STCPTF) consists of the following agencies: New York State Police; Binghamton Police Department; Broome County District Attorney’s Office; Broome County Security Division; Broome County Sheriff’s Office; Endicott Police Department; Federal Bureau of Investigation; Johnson City Police Department; Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office; Tioga County Sheriff’s Office; Delaware County Sheriff’s Office; Ithaca Police Department; Cortland Police Department; SUNY Binghamton University Police; Vestal Police Department; and Cornell University Police.