Cheektowaga Man Pleads Guilty To Child Pornography Charges

CONTACT:      Barbara Burns
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BUFFALO, N.Y. – Acting U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Raymond Crum, 63, of Cheektowaga, NY, pleaded guilty to possession and receipt of child pornography before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 20 years and a $250,000 fine. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango, who is handling the case, stated that  the defendant victimized three underage females, a 12-year-old and two 15-year-olds, that he met online. Crum also communicated with the victims via text and telephone. The defendant and the victims engaged in sexually explicit communications and entered into a dominant/submissive relationship in which Crum was the dominant figure. During their communications, the victims sent the defendant sexually explicit images. Crum was aware that the victim were minors at the time he received the images.

On August 5, 2015, a search warrant was executed at the defendant’s residence in Buffalo. Officers seized two computers and a tablet. A forensic examination revealed child pornographic images and videos of the three minor victims and contained communications between the defendant and the victims. In total, Crum possessed approximately 97 images and 34 videos of child pornography.

The plea is the result of an investigation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in- Charge Kevin Kelly and the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Daniel Derenda. Assistance was also provided by the Bardstown, Kentucky Police Department.

Sentencing is scheduled for December 6, 2017, at 10:00 a.m. before Judge Vilardo.