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Press Release

Troy Resident Charged with Distributing Child Pornography

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of New York

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Terence Ratigan, age 39, of Troy, New York, appeared in federal court yesterday on child pornography charges.  The announcement was made by 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). 

A criminal complaint alleges that Ratigan distributed child pornography over the internet.  The charge in the criminal complaint is merely an accusation.  The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The charge against Ratigan carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years and a maximum of 20 years in prison, a post-release term of supervision of between 5 years and life, and a fine of up to $250,000.

Ratigan made his initial appearance yesterday before United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart.  Ratigan requested to adjourn his detention hearing, set for today, to a later date.  Ratigan will remain detained pending future hearings in this matter.

This case is being investigated by the FBI and its Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, including the Rotterdam, Troy, and Colonie Police Departments and the New York State Police.   The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Williams.

The case is prosecuted 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.

Updated November 24, 2021

Topic
Project Safe Childhood