Glenville Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing and Possessing Child Pornography

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Glenn Mears, 44, of Glenville, New York, pled guilty today to one count of distributing and ten counts of possessing child pornography, announced Acting United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and Special Agent in Charge Kevin Kelly, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

As part of his guilty plea, Mears admitted to distributing child pornography using the Internet-based messaging application, “Kik,” and to possessing images and videos of child pornography on ten compact discs.  Mears also admitted that he possessed child pornography involving prepubescent children and children under 12 years of age.

Sentencing is scheduled for February 12, 2018, in Albany, New York. 

Mears, who is detained pending sentencing, faces at least 5 years and up to 20 years in prison on the distribution of child pornography count, and faces a total of 160 years imprisonment on the possession counts.  Mears will receive a term of post-release supervision of at least 5 years and up to life, and a fine of up to $250,000 on each count.  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.

This case was investigated by HSI and the New York State Police, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyrus P.W. Rieck

Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States 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.