Press Release
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Salamanca Man On Multiple Child Pornography Charges Including Production, Receipt, And Possession
For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of New York
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Robert Calkins, Jr., 37, of Salamanca, NY, with production, receipt, and possession of child pornography. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Rudroff, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment and a previously filed complaint, Calkins is accused of production, receipt, and possession of child pornography. In April 2020, the New York State Police began investigating Calkins after receiving dozens of reports from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children referencing Calkins as possessing suspected child pornography within his Google accounts. In September 2020, State Police investigators executed a search warrant at Calkins’ E. Jefferson Street residence in Salamanca, seizing four cell phones and an SD card. A forensic analysis conducted by Homeland Security Investigations recovered thousands of images and videos of child pornography, including several images that Calkins produced using a minor victim.
The indictment is the result of an investigation by the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Eugene Staniszewski, and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Updated April 10, 2023
Topic
Project Safe Childhood
Component