Owego Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Production of Child Pornography, Related Offenses

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; Gary W. Howard, Tioga 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 James R. Galpin, Jr., 50, of Owego, New York, pleaded guilty today in federal court in Binghamton, New York. Defendant Galpin pleaded guilty to the following nine felony offenses:

• Production of child pornography, Title 18, United States Code, Section 2251(a) & (e) [four counts]
• Committing a felony offense involving a minor while being required to register as a sex offender, Title 18, United States Code, Section 2260A [four counts]
• Possession of child pornography, Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252A(a)(5)(B) [one count]

At the time of sentencing, defendant Galpin faces a statutory mandatory minimum term of 35 years in federal prison and a possible maximum imprisonment term of 50 years. Defendant Galpin also faces a possible maximum fine of $250,000. Sentencing has been scheduled for July 19, 2011. Galpin is incarcerated and will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal's Service until sentencing.

In pleading guilty, Galpin admitted the following facts: In June of 2009, James Galpin, Jr., was a 49-year-old registered New York state sex offender. Galpin's sex offender status resulted from his January 4, 1991 felony conviction wherein Galpin pleaded guilty and was convicted of the felony offense of sexual abuse in the first degree in violation of New York State Penal Law 130.65(3). That previous investigation determined that Galpin had sexually molested and sexually abused several minor teenage boys. Galpin was prosecuted by state authorities in Tioga County, New York. Pursuant to his state sex offense conviction against minors, Galpin was required to register as a sex offender and to update his sex offender registration regularly.

This investigation commenced in June of 2009 when Galpin was observed in a supermarket in the company of a very young-looking boy. The boy was observed arriving with Galpin and leaving the supermarket with Galpin. Law enforcment obtained the surveillance tapes from the supermarket. Upon reviewing the surveillance tapes, they observed a very young boy, who was later identified, arriving at the market with Galpin and leaving with Galpin.

Law enforcement commenced to conduct physical surveillance of Galpin and Galpin's residence. Investigators quickly learned that numerous minor teenage boys were routinely coming to Galpin's residence and at times spending the night at his residence.

Law enforcement investigators also discovered that Galpin had a MySpace profile/account which he failed to register as part of his sex offender registry. Furthermore, investigators also determined that Galpin was communicating with minor teenage boys on the MySpace social networking site via computers as well as by telephone.

In July of 2009, investigators executed a search warrant at Galpin's residence. Seized from Galpin's residence were several computers, several digital cameras, several digital storage devices, and other materials.

All the digital storage devices and digital/electronic items were sent to the Broome County Security Division C.A.T.S. unit for forensic analysis.

After Galpin's arrest, investigators interviewed several teenage minor boys and quickly discovered that Galpin had paid the minors cash in order to permit photographs to be taken of the minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, which included masturbation and close-ups of their genitalia. The photographs were taken by both Galpin and the minors using two digital cameras belonging to Galpin. Both cameras were seized during the execution of the search warrant at Galpin's residence. Many of these images were stored on Galpin's computer, which was also seized.

The case is 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.

*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.