Juan Quinones-Rivera, Production of Child Pornography, New York 2021

BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Juan Quinones-Rivera, 39, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with production of child pornography.

The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum of 30 years and a $250,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Caitlin M. Higgins, who is handling the case, stated that on April 21, 2021, New York State Parole contacted the FBI after a parole officer, while conducting a search of defendant’s room, discovered that he had a cell phone, which was a violation of his parole.

During a cursory search of the device, the parole officer located Snapchat chats and text messages between Quinones-Rivera and a female (Victim). A subsequent search of the phone recovered numerous images and videos of suspected child pornography.

In addition, investigators recovered sexually explicit text conversations between the defendant and Victim, during which Quinones-Rivera requested and received approximately 50 videos and photos from the Victim.

The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia; the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, under the direction of Acting Commissioner Anthony J. Annucci; the Town of Tonawanda Police Department, under the direction of Chief James Stauffiger; and the Greene County, Virginia Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Steven Smith.

The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

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