Child Pornography Charges Land Queensbury Man in Hot Water
ALBANY, NEW YORK – In a shocking turn of events, 24-year-old Chad Knowlton of Queensbury has pleaded guilty to distributing, receiving and possessing child pornography. This disturbing crime has left many in the community reeling.
According to court documents, Knowlton used a custom-built desktop computer equipped with peer-to-peer file-sharing software to download and distribute child pornography. He also admitted to using a smartphone to download additional child pornography, resulting in over 1,000 videos and images depicting the heinous crime.
As part of his guilty plea, Knowlton faces a minimum of 5 years and up to 20 years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. He will also be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
This case is a stark reminder of the dangers of child exploitation and the importance of holding perpetrators accountable. The FBI and the New York State Police investigated this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmet O’Hanlon is prosecuting the matter.
Knowlton is currently being held pending sentencing, which is scheduled for October 9, 2018, before Senior United States Judge Thomas J. McAvoy. This sentence will be determined by the judge based on the particular statute Knowlton is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
It’s worth noting that Knowlton is also facing state charges alleging the sexual abuse of children in Warren County. He is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty of those charges.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the New York State Police, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmet O’Hanlon. Project Safe Childhood, a federal initiative launched in May 2006, aims to marshal federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Key Facts
- State: New York
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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