Prior Sex Offender Pleads Guilty To New Child Pornography Charge

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

ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Jerry Stearns, 50, of Clifton Springs, NY, pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford to possession of child pornography involving a prepubescent minor following a prior conviction. The charge carries carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, and a maximum penalty of 20 years.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire, who handled the case, stated that in February 2005, Stearns was convicted in on a federal charge of possession of child pornography and sentenced to serve 120 months in prison and 10 years supervised release.  On May 13, 2019, while still on supervised release, Stearns possessed images of child pornography, some of which depicted prepubescent minors.

The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Child Exploitation Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia, and the U.S. Probation Department, under the director of Chief Probation Officer Timothy Englert.

Sentencing is scheduled for July 13, 2022, before Judge Wolford. 

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