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Press Release

Cheektowaga Man Arrested, Charged With Production And Possession Of Child Pornography

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

CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051

BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Dustin Coffelt, 33, of Cheektowaga, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with production 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.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Maeve E. Huggins, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in July 2022, the Depew Police Department received a report that Coffelt sexually abused a 13-year-old girl (minor victim). Subsequent investigation determined that the alleged abuse may have been ongoing for several years and included communication over various social media applications and text messaging. On July 29, 2022, investigators seized Coffelt’s cell phone. Numerous sexually explicit images of the minor victim, which constitute child pornography, were recovered from the phone.

Coffelt made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and is being detained.

The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Depew Police Department, under the direction of Chief Jerome Miller, the Cheektowaga Police Department, under the direction of Chief Brian Gould, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia.

The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.  

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Updated August 19, 2022

Topic
Project Safe Childhood