Irondequoit Woman Pleads Guilty To Production And Distribution Of Child Pornography

CONTACT:      Barbara Burns
PHONE:         (716) 843-5817
FAX:            (716) 551-3051
 
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul Jr. announced today that a Megan McDonald, 36, of Irondequoit, NY, pleaded guilty to production of child pornography, distribution of child pornography and possession of child pornography. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum of 30 years, and a $250,000 fine. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum of 30 years and a fine of $250,000.
 
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany H. Lee, who is handling the case, stated that in March 2015, law enforcement officers interviewed Jason Cortese who advised that he had received images of child pornography from McDonald. A forensic review of images from Cortese’s iPhone recovered sexually explicit images of two prepubescent minors.

Cortese has been convicted of enticement of a minor and is awaiting sentencing. Cortese used the internet and a smart phone to persuade a 12 year old minor to engage in sexually explicit activity.

The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Child Exploitation Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Adam S. Cohen. The task force includes the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, the Rochester Police Department, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations.