Buffalo man pleads guilty to new child pornography charge

BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Oscar F. Hernandez III, 23, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to possession of child pornography involving a prepubescent minor following a prior conviction under New York law relating to possession of child pornography. The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a fine of $250,000.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas A.C. Penrose, who is handling the case, stated that in December 2022, Hernandez was convicted of Attempted Possessing a Sexual Performance by a Child in New York State Court and sentenced to serve six years of probation. On June 18, 2024, Hernandez used Instagram to share two child pornography videos with another Instagram user, who he believed to be a minor. Hernandez used a cellular telephone to upload the videos to Instagram and share them with the other user. On May 14, 2025, a search warrant was executed at Hernandez’s residence, during which law enforcement seized a number of electronic devices, including a cellular telephone, which contained 15 images of child pornography.

The plea of the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Sentencing is scheduled for February 20, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. before Judge Sinatra.