BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Shane Guay, 30, of Jamestown, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to receipt of child pornography. The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan A. Tokash, who is handling the case, stated that in November 2016, the defendant solicited minor victims through the Instagram application to produce images of child pornography. On November 6, 2016, the defendant received an image of Victim 1, who was 12 years old at the time. On November 8, 2016, Guay received two images of Victim 2, who was 13 years old at the time.
During the investigation, law enforcement officers recovered 587 images and five videos of child pornography on electronic devices seized from the defendant. Some of the images included prepubescent children, as well as depictions of violence.
The plea is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly; the HSI Office of International Affairs in S. Africa; the New York State Police, under the direction of Major James Hall; the Olean Police Department, under the direction of Chief Jeff Rowley; the Harris County, GA Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Mike Jolley; and the Ayer, Massachusetts Police Department, under the direction of Chief William A. Murray.
Sentencing is scheduled for April 1, 2021, at 2:00 p.m. before Judge Sinatra.