BUFFALO, N.Y. – Dustin Coffelt, a 36-year-old man from Cheektowaga, pleaded guilty to two counts of production and one count of possession of child pornography in federal court.
Coffelt’s charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum of 30 years, and a $250,000 fine.
The case began in July 2022, when the Depew Police Department received a report of alleged child abuse. An investigation revealed that the abuse may have been ongoing for several years and included communication over various social media applications and text messaging.
On July 29, 2022, Coffelt provided a voluntary statement to detectives from the Depew and Cheektowaga Police Departments admitting to the abuse and producing sexually explicit photographs of the victim. He also voluntarily provided his phone to the detectives, which revealed numerous explicit images of the victim.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maeve E. Huggins and Sasha Mascarenhas. The plea is the result of an investigation by the Depew Police Department, under the direction of Chief James McNamara, the Cheektowaga Police Department, under the direction of Chief Brian Coons, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Coffelt is scheduled to be sentenced on August 24, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo.
The charges against Coffelt include:
Production of child pornography (18 U.S.C. § 2251(a))
Possession of child pornography (18 U.S.C. § 2252A(a)(5)(B))
Coffelt’s case is a disturbing example of the harm caused by child exploitation. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this story and provide updates on the sentencing.
Related Federal Cases
- John Buckley, Child Pornography Creation, New York 2021 · Tennessee
- Robert Acker, Possession of Child Pornography, New York 2016 · New York
- Jose Cisneros, Possession of Child Pornography, New York 2016 · Tennessee
- Nathan E. Boguhn, Possession and Distribution of Child Pornography, New York 2016 · Texas
- Joshua Vandegrift, Production of Child Pornography, New York 2023 · Texas
Key Facts
- State: New York
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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