SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – David P. VanHousen, age 54, formerly of Newark Valley, New York, pled guilty today to possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
VanHousen admitted that, while civilly committed at the Central New York Psychiatric Center in Marcy, New York, following several sex offense and child pornography-related convictions, he possessed numerous images and videos of child pornography on a contraband phone.
VanHousen was previously convicted in 2001 of sexual misconduct and rape in the third degree in New York State and transportation of child pornography in federal court.
Sentencing is scheduled for April 18, 2024 before United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby. VanHousen faces a mandatory minimum term of 10 years in prison, a maximum term of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of between 5 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. VanHousen will also be required to register as a sex offender after his release from prison.
This case was investigated by the FBI Mid-State Child Exploitation Task Force, comprised of FBI Special Agents and Investigators of the New York State Police, Bureau of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adrian S. LaRochelle and Jessica N. Carbone are prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). 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 to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.