Convicted Sex Offender Arrested On Multiple Child Ponography Charges

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

ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that John Geimer, 54, of Rochester, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with receipt, distribution, and possession of child pornography. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa M. Marangola, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on December 31, 2020, an undercover law enforcement officer downloaded a video file containing child pornography from a peer to peer sharing network. The IP address that shared the file was traced to the defendant. Subsequently, a federal search warrant was executed at Geimer’s residence on Lake View Park in Rochester. During the search, investigators seized several digital devices that contained child pornography, including 1825 videos and 16,238 images. Some of the videos appear to have been taken from a “Go Pro” by an individual, believed to be Geimer, concealing the camera at an amusement park and capturing video of children at a water park. Another video depicts an individual, believed to be the defendant, concealing the camera walking through his place of employment, including a pool area, capturing children in their bathing suits. And another video depicts an individual, again believed to be Geimer, concealing the camera and walking into a certain grocery store directly towards a girl approximately 8 to 10 years old.

In June 1989, the defendant was convicted following a jury trial in New York State Court of Sexual Abuse 2nd and Acting in a Manner Injurious to a Child Less than 16 Years Old and sentenced to a conditional discharge.

The defendant made an initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark W. Pedersen and was held pending a detention hearing on April 6, 2021, at 11:00 a.m.

The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Child Exploitation Task Force, 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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