Keith E. Hook, Distribution of Child Pornography, New York 2018

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK - A Border Patrol Agent has been arrested for distributing child pornography. Keith E. Hook, a 54-year-old from Oswego, New York, appeared in federal court on a charge that he distributed child pornography over the internet.

According to the federal criminal complaint, Hook used the Kik Messenger application to distribute child pornography to other Kik users from April 30, 2018 through May 4, 2018. An initial forensic review of his personally owned iPod revealed that it contained approximately 34 image files and 2 video files depicting child pornography.

Hook, a United States Border Patrol Agent, is accused of violating federal law. If convicted, he faces at least 5 years and up to 20 years in prison, a term of post-release supervision of at least 5 years and up to life, and a fine of up to $250,000.

The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Hook appeared today before United States Magistrate Judge Andrew T. Baxter, who ordered him detained pending a hearing scheduled for July 6, 2018.

This case is being investigated by HSI Syracuse with assistance from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General (DHS/OIG); U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Professional Responsibility; the New York State Police Computer Crimes Unit; and the New York State Police (Fulton station).

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey J. L. Brown as part of Project Safe Childhood.

Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), and is designed 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.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndny/pr/border-patrol-agent-arrested-distribution-child-pornography