Holley English Teacher Arrested, Charged With Receipt And Possession Of Child Pornography

CONTACT:      Barbara Burns
PHONE:         (716) 843-5817
FAX:            (716) 551-3051
 
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-- U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Steven Choi, 41, of Rochester, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with receipt and possession of child pornography. The receipt of child pornography charge carries a minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum of 20 years, while the possession of child pornography charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Marangola, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force identified the defendant accessing child pornography online. A forensic examination of that computer recovered sexually explicit photographs of prepubescent girls. Choi is an English teacher with the Holley Central School District.

The defendant made an initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jonathan Feldman. He is due back in federal court for a status hearing on August 12, 2016 at 10:30 a.m.

The criminal complaint is the culmination of an investigation by Special Agents of Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Child Exploitation Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Adam S. Cohen. The task force includes the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, the Rochester Police Department, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations, and the Greece Police Department.
 
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.