Lockport man connected to global sex trafficking network going to prison

BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Richard Greer, 58, of Lockport, NY, who was convicted of possession of child pornography involving a prepubescent minor, was sentenced to serve 78 months in prison and 25 years supervised release by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas A. C. Penrose, who handled the case stated that between April 2019, and August 14, 2023, Greer used Skype to communicate with individuals operating a child-sex-trafficking network from the Philippines. During this period, he exchanged approximately 31,000 messages, 3,099 calls, and 213 media files with the traffickers. The chat conversations discussed, among other things, the sale of live-streaming depictions of child pornography. During some of the conversations, Greer received images of children engaged in sexual activities. Greer would often pay the traffickers for the child pornography that he received.

In December 2023, federal agents executed a search warrant at Greer’s residence, seizing several electronic devices, including a laptop, and a thumb drive. A review of the laptop recovered more than 4,400 images and 44 video files of child pornography and a review of the thumb drive recovered approximately 13,000 images and 900 videos of child pornography. Some of the images and videos included depictions of violence against children and sexual abuse or exploitation of infants or toddlers.

The sentencing is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan.

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