Oneida County Man Pleads Guilty to Trading Child Pornography

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Chad Srogi, age 39, of Vernon, New York pled guilty today to distributing, transporting, and possessing child pornography. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and New York State Police Acting Superintendent Steven A. Nigrelli.

During the change of plea hearing, Srogi admitted that he distributed and transported child pornography on multiple social media platforms in 2018 and possessed more than a hundred child pornography files in October 2019. He also admitted that, in 2007, he was convicted in Florida of Promoting the Sexual Performance of a Child and Possessing Material Depicting the Sexual Performance of a Child.

The possession of child pornography charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum of 20 years. The distribution and transportation of child pornography charges carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of 40 years. Srogi also faces a fine of up to $250,000, a term of supervised release of at least five years and up to life, forfeiture to the United States of property used to commit his offenses, restitution to identified victims, and will have register as a sex offender upon his release from prison. 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.

Sentencing is scheduled for April 19, 2023, in Syracuse before United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby.

This case is being investigated by U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the New York State Police (Troop D Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), and the Computer Crimes Unit), and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Gadarian as part of Project Safe Childhood.

Project Safe Childhood is 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/.