Troy Man Pleads Guilty to Distribution of Child Pornography

ALBANY, NEW YORK – On November 4, 2014, JAMES J. McGONIGLE, age 42, of Troy, New York, pled guilty in Albany before United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino to distribution and possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and Homeland Security Investigations Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas DiNicola. McGONIGLE, who was detained pending his sentencing, faces at least five years of imprisonment and up to 40 years of imprisonment.

As part of his guilty plea, McGONIGLE admitted that he distributed videos of child pornography by e-mail. On March 11, 2014, investigators executed a federal search warrant at McGONIGLE’S residence in Troy, New York, and recovered 364 still images and 50 videos depicting child pornography from his smartphone. Sentencing is scheduled for March 4, 2015 at 12:30 p.m. in Albany, New York.

The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, with the assistance of the Colonie Police Department and the Rensselaer County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey C. Coffman.