Jamestown Man Pleads Guilty To Child Pornogrpahy Charge

CONTACT: Barbara Burns

PHONE: (716) 843-5817

FAX #: (716) 551-3051

BUFFALO, N.Y.-Acting U.S. James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Christopher Whitford, 45, of Jamestown, NY, pleaded guilty to distribution of child pornography before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford. The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a $250,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary C. Baumgarten, who is handling the case, stated that on May 1, 2016, the defendant, using a peer to peer file sharing program, shared files with an undercover law enforcement officer. On June 23, 2016, a federal search warrant was executed at the defendant’s residence at 42 West 13^th Street, Jamestown, New York, during which several items of electronic media were seized, and forensic analysis revealed images and videos constituting child pornography were stored on those items. The images and videos that the defendant previously shared with the undercover officer were among those images. Whitford had approximately 2405 images and 1188 videos constituting child pornography.

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

Sentencing is scheduled for June 13, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. before Judge Wolford.

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