Rochester Man Charged with Production of Child Pornography

A Rochester man has been charged with producing child pornography, a crime that carries a minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, a maximum of 30 years and a fine of up to $250,000.

Thomas Hopkins, 24, of Rochester, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with production of child pornography, according to U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig R. Gestring stated that according to the complaint, Hopkins surreptitiously recorded a 13-year-old child naked while she was in the bathroom on multiple occasions. The defendant used his iPod to video record the child through a hole in the bathroom wall, and then emailed the sexually explicit videos to himself.

Hopkins made an initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jonathan Feldman. The defendant is being held pending a detention hearing on May 18, 2016 at 1:00 p.m.

The investigation was led by the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Ciminelli, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Child Exploitation Task Force, under the direction of Adam S. Cohen. The task force includes the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, the Rochester Police Department, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations.

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.

MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS

Sex Crimes

Daniel LaRock, Child Pornography, New York 2025

Apr 25, 2025

Sex Crimes

Lennon Slade, Distributing Child Pornography, Iowa 2012

Feb 19, 2015

Sex Crimes

Joshua Harrison, Child Pornography Possession, Maine 2023

Dec 15, 2016

Sex Crimes

Sean Stevenson, Attempted Enticement of a Minor, California 2024

Sep 5, 2024