Rochester Man Going Back To Prison For A Decade For Possession Of Child Pornography

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

ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Justin Channell, 32, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of possession of child pornography involving prepubescent minors, was sentenced to serve 10 years in prison and 15 years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa. The defendant will also be required to register as a sex offender.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire, who handled the case, stated that in 2011, the defendant was convicted of possession of child pornography and sentenced to serve 12 months in prison followed by 15 years of supervised release.

In April 2019, Channell was serving his term of supervised release when a United States Probation Officer discovered that he was viewing images and videos of child pornography on his mobile phone. The Federal Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation Task Force was alerted. As a result, the FBI forensically examined the defendant’s phone and ultimately discovered hundreds of images and several videos of child pornography, including some images and videos that depicted prepubescent minors and sadistic and masochistic conduct.

The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert.

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