Rochester Man Charged With Enticement Of A Minor And Production Of Child Pornogrpahy

CONTACT:      Barbara Burns
PHONE:        (716) 843-5817
FAX:           (716) 551-3051

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Roger Eric Powell, 48, of Rochester, NY, was charged by criminal complaint with enticement of a minor and production of child pornography. Enticement of a minor carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life and a fine of $250,000. Production of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years, a maximum of 40, and a $250,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany H. Lee, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on January 2, 2015, a complainant told law enforcement officers that her child, aged 14, had been engaging in sexually explicit communications with the defendant. When the child spoke with officers, the child advised that the two communicated on Facebook and that Powell sent two explicit images of himself to the child. The child also indicated that the defendant made multiple requests for explicit photos in return. In order to get the defendant to stop bothering the child, the child sent an explicit picture to Powell.

Law enforcement officers reviewed the child’s Facebook account and saw the exchanges between the defendant and the child. Officers then took over the Facebook account and engaged in communications with Powell. The defendant revealed in those communications about having engaged in prior sexual conduct with the child that was later confirmed by the child to law enforcement. A search warrant was executed at Powell’s residence and the defendant admitted to engaging in inappropriate communications with the child.

The criminal complaint is the culmination of an investigation on the part of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation Task Force. The Task Force includes members of the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Ciminelli, the Monroe County Sheriff’s, under the direction of Sheriff Patrick O’Flynn, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James C. Spero.              .

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.