Paul A. Light Guilty

Paul A. Light, a 46-year-old Albany, New York man, has pleaded guilty to distributing, receiving, and possessing child pornography. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and James C. Spero, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Light maintained a massive collection of child pornography, consisting of at least 5,027 image files and 597 video files, stored on at least 9 different computers and external hard drives. Using an online file-sharing website, Light distributed and received child pornography on at least 7 occasions from approximately March 28, 2015, through October 26, 2015.

The guilty plea is a significant development in the case, which was investigated by HSI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Solomon B. Shinerock. Light’s actions were a clear violation of the law, and his plea demonstrates the commitment of law enforcement to holding individuals accountable for such heinous crimes.

Sentencing is scheduled for July 24, 2017, before Senior United States Judge Gary L. Sharpe. Light faces a minimum of 5 years and up to 20 years in prison, as well as at least 5 years and up to lifetime post-imprisonment supervised release, and a maximum $250,000 fine. He will also be required to register as a sex offender when he is released from prison.

This case is being prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims.

For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/. The case against Light serves as a reminder of the importance of this initiative and the need for continued efforts to protect children from online exploitation. As the case moves forward, it is clear that the consequences for Light’s actions will be severe, and the community can take comfort in knowing that justice is being served.

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