Thomas A. Gillespie, 44, of East Brady, Pennsylvania, has pleaded guilty to production of child pornography—a crime that carries a mandatory minimum of 15 years behind bars and a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison.
The grim details emerged from federal court in Buffalo, New York, where U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. confirmed Gillespie’s guilty plea entered before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford. The charge also exposes him to a $250,000 fine, a small price compared to the lifelong damage inflicted on his young victim.
From July 2014 through August 7, 2014, Gillespie used Vine.com’s instant messaging feature to prey on a minor under the age of 12 living in Cheektowaga, NY. The communications, described as sexually graphic, escalated when Gillespie began pressuring the child to send explicit images of herself—images he successfully obtained.
A forensic raid on his East Brady apartment led to the seizure of Gillespie’s computer. Investigators recovered multiple sexually explicit images of the victim, including one confirmed nude photograph. Digital evidence tied him directly to the coercion and creation of child pornography.
The case was the result of a joint investigation by the Cheektowaga Police Department, led by Chief David Zack, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation under Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin P. Lyons. Their collaboration peeled back the layers of online deception Gillespie used to exploit a child.
Sentencing is scheduled for July 12, 2018, at 2:30 p.m. before Judge Wolford. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott S. Allen, Jr. and Russell T. Ippolito, Jr. are prosecuting the case, ensuring that Gillespie will face the full weight of federal law for his predatory actions.
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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