Skip to main content
Press Release

Amsterdam Man Charged with Distributing Child Pornography

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of New York

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Thomas Love, Jr., age 31, of Amsterdam, New York, was ordered detained yesterday on a charge of distributing child pornography.

The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon and Thomas F. Relford, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

On October 27, 2020, Love was charged by criminal complaint with distributing child pornography.  Yesterday, United States Magistrate Judge Christian F. Hummel conducted a detention hearing and ordered Love detained pending trial. 

The complaint alleges that, on or about July, 11, 2020, Love distributed images depicting the sexual exploitation of children via an online social media platform.  Love further admitted to distributing child pornography on other social media platforms and over email, as well. 

The charge in the complaint is merely an accusation.  The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.  If convicted, Love faces at least 5 and up to 20 years in prison, a mandatory term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life, and a maximum fine of $250,000.  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.  Love would also have to register as a sex offender.

This case is being investigated by the FBI and its Child Exploitation Task Force, with assistance from the New York State Police, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Williams.

Anyone who wants to provide law enforcement with information about the defendant should contact the FBI Albany Field Office at (518) 465-7551. 

This case is prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse.  Led by the United States Attorney’s offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.

Updated November 6, 2020

Topic
Project Safe Childhood