Latham Man Indicted for Receipt of Child Pornography

ALBANY, NEW YORK - - Ethan Rupeka, age 22, of Latham, New York, was arraigned 5/29 on an indictment charging him with Receipt of Child Pornography and Possession of Child Pornography.

United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.

Rupeka was arraigned on Friday May 29^th before United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart and was released on Monday June 1st to probation pending trial. The charge in the indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

According to the indictment, Rupeka received child pornography on social media messaging services, and possessed the child pornography on four different electronic devices. The material found stemmed from a search warrant conducted on defendant's residence on February 12, 2025 by the New York State Police, stemming from a cyber tip by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).

First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated: "The reprehensible conduct exhibited by this defendant was identified thanks to the dedicated efforts of the NCMEC. Their work allowed the New York State Police and FBI to arrest Mr. Rupeka who will now be prosecuted by my office to ensure he can no longer victimize children for his perverted satisfaction."

"FBI Albany's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force is deeply committed to working with partners to swiftly investigate predators like Mr. Rupeka and ensure they are held accountable for their disturbing behavior. We will continue to leverage every resource necessary to protect our most vulnerable from these monsters." Said Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation

New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said, "These types of investigations are difficult and show the lengths child predators will go to exploit children. It is through great partnership that we continue to hold those accountable who seek to put a child in harm's way. I applaud the diligent work done by our State Police members and law enforcement partners that led to this indictment and ensures the defendant will serve time for these deplorable crimes."

The Receipt of Child Pornography charge filed against Rupeka carries a mandatory minimum term of 5 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 at least 5 years and up to life. In addition, a conviction will require Rupeka to register as a sex offender. 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.

The charge in the indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The FBI's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force is investigating the case, with assistance from the New York State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Paul DerOhannesian is prosecuting the case as Part of Project Safe Childhood.

Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' 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.