Gowanda Man Arrested And Charged With Production And Distribution Of Child Pornography

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

BUFFALO, N.Y.- Acting U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Shane Michael Aurand, 20, of Gowanda, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with production and distribution of child pornography. The charges carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, a maximum of 30 years, and a $250,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Lamarque who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in March 2017, the defendant started communicating with an undercover law enforcement agent on the messaging application Kik. Aurand shared sexually explicit pictures of a seven-year-old child that he produced while babysitting the child at his house. The defendant also offered to send the undercover agent pictures of other children if he received child pornography in return.

The defendant made an initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder, Jr. and is being held pending a detention hearing on March 16, 2017, at 10:15 a.m.

The criminal complaint is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Adam S. Cohen. 

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.