Christopher Gostick, Receipt of Child Pornography, New York 2024

A Buffalo man has been sentenced to more than 24 years in prison for his involvement in a child pornography case. Christopher Gostick, 30, of Lancaster, NY, was convicted of receipt of child pornography by a person having a prior conviction relating to possession of child pornography.

The sentencing is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan, and the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia.

According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas A. C. Penrose, who handled the case, Gostick attended a sleepover birthday party on June 9 and 10, 2023, during which he kissed a 9-year-old minor victim (Minor Victim 1) on the lips. Minor Victim 1 told her parents, which resulted in police officers responding to the residence and taking possession of cellular telephones and a tablet that belonged to Gostick.

A review of one of the cellphones uncovered a surreptitiously recorded video of Minor Victim 1 using the bathroom. In addition to the video of Minor Victim 1, law enforcement also found on Gostick’s other cellphone a screen recording of a Snapchat conversation between Gostick and a second minor victim (Minor Victim 2), who was 10 years old at the time. During that conversation, Gostick, who was posing as an 11-year-old female, instructed Minor Victim 2 to send him a sexually explicit video, which Minor Victim 2 did.

A review of Gostick’s devices also recovered approximately 613 images and two videos containing child pornography.

Previously, in August 2019, Gostick was convicted on a state charge of Attempted Possessing a Sexual Performance by a Child Less than 16.

U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara sentenced Gostick to serve 292 months in prison. The sentencing is the culmination of a lengthy investigation into Gostick’s activities.

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