Potsdam Man Arrested for Distributing Child Pornography

PLATTSBURGH, NEW YORK –John Huckabey, age 40, of Potsdam, New York, was arrested yesterday for distribution of child pornography.

United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.

The criminal complaint alleges that between October 6 and October 31, 2022, Huckabey used a social media application to distribute videos and images depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The charge in the complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Yesterday, Huckabey made an initial appearance in Plattsburgh federal court, before United States Magistrate Judge Gary L. Favro, and was ordered detained pending a detention hearing

Huckabey faces at least 5 years and up 20 years in prison, if convicted.  A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.

The FBI is investigating this case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Carling Dunham is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc