ALBANY, NEW YORK – In a chilling revelation from the grim annals of cybercrime and sex offenses, Zachary Cota, 31, of Castleton-on-Hudson, New York, has been found guilty of receiving child pornography. The depraved offender faces a minimum sentence of 262 months in federal prison.
Cota’s dark descent into pedophilia began when he used SnapChat to solicit nude photos from three minors. His sinister manipulation reached its zenith as he threatened the children with exposure if they did not comply, exploiting their innocence for his own sick gratification.
Despite being on probation for a previous sexual offense against a child, Cota’s spree of perversion continued. When confronted by his probation officer, the pervert attempted to destroy evidence, only to have the feds uncover over 900 images of child pornography, including graphic video chat screenshots with a naked minor.
On September 6, 2024, United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci will sentence Cota to a term ranging from 262 to 327 months, potentially accompanied by a $250,000 fine and lifelong supervised release. The defendant has also agreed to forfeit the electronic device used in his heinous crimes.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Reiner prosecuted this case under the Project Safe Childhood initiative, which since 2006 has targeted those who exploit children through the Internet. The FBI and its Child Exploitation Task Force, involving federal, state, and local law enforcement, including the Rotterdam, Troy, Colonie Police Departments, and New York State Police, have been instrumental in this investigation.
For more information on Project Safe Childhood and the fight against child exploitation online, visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Cybercrime|Sex Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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