WEST LEYDEN MAN ARRESTED FOR DISTRIBUTING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK - United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian announced the arrest today of a West Leyden, New York man on federal child pornography charges.

A criminal complaint filed in United States District Court charges BRIAN MINGO, age 38, with knowingly distributing child pornography through an Internet file sharing program. The complaint alleges that in February of 2015 an undercover agent with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) downloaded 104 files of child pornography that were being shared by MINGO through an Internet account.

MINGO made his initial appearance this afternoon before Hon. David E. Peebles, United States Magistrate Judge, and was detained pending a hearing set for Wednesday, April 1, 2015 at 1:00 p.m. He faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years imprisonment, with maximum penalty of 20 years. He also faces a potential fine of up to $250,000, a required term of supervised release of at least 5 years, and up to life, and mandatory registration as a sex offender.

"One image depicting the sexual exploitation of a child is too many. HSI, along with our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, will continue to use our unique and robust investigative authorities to identify, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit these kinds of crimes." said Brian Devine, resident agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Syracuse.

MINGO’s arrest is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa Fletcher, as a part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ 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.

The charges against MINGO are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.