Clinton County Man Sentenced for Conspiring to Receive and Distribute Child Pornography and for Possessing Child Pornography

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK - Richard Hockersmith, 65, of Plattsburgh, New York, was sentenced yesterday to 6 years in federal prison for conspiring to receive and distribute child pornography and possession of child pornography announced United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

As part of his prior guilty plea, Hockersmith admitted that in August of 2022, he began conspiring with his co-defendant, Jack Kelly, about exchanging child sexual abuse material. Hockersmith further admitted that he and Kelly decided to exchange the material by mailing an SD card containing child sexual abuse images and videos back and forth, which each of them did. Hockersmith also admitted that during a search of his residence on September 12, 2024, he still possessed the SD card he and Kelly used to receive and distribute child sexual abuse material via the U.S. mail, which contained the sexually explicit images and videos of children they shared with one another.

In addition to a term of imprisonment, United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci also sentenced Hockersmith to serve a 10-year term of supervised release to begin after Hockersmith is released from prison. Hockersmith will also be required to register as a sex offender upon his release.

U.S. Attorney Sarcone stated, "They thought they were being sly-using the mail to trade child pornography-but it didn't work thanks to the diligent investigative work of the agents and investigators from HSI and the New York State Police. Let this be a lesson, we will find and punish anyone who is involved in the abuse or exploitation of children."

"The defendant was sentenced for his heinous crime of receiving, possessing, and distributing child sexual abuse material," said HSI Buffalo Special Agent in Charge Erin Keegan. "Together with our partners, HSI Rouses Point will continue to seek justice for victimized children. Any person who believes they have information pertaining to the exploitation of a child is encouraged to contact the HSI tip-line at 866-347-2423."

The case was investigated by HSI with assistance from New York State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian S. LaRochelle prosecuted 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.