FORMER STEUBEN COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPUTY PLEADS GUILTY TO CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CHARGES

ROCHESTER, NY—U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Stuart J. McHenry, 35, of Hornellsville, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa to possession of child pornography involving a prepubescent minor, which carries a maximum of 20 years, and a fine of up to $250,000.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Katelyn M. Hartford, who is handling the case, stated that McHenry knowingly possessed digital images of child pornography. At least one of the images depicted prepubescent minors under 12-years-old. The investigation began when the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a CyberTip from the instant messaging application Kik, which stated that Kik user “acman990,” uploaded approximately 24 files of suspected child pornography. A review found that approximately 22 of the files constituted child pornography. Subsequent investigation traced the account to the defendant and revealed messages between the defendant and other users in which the defendant sought, received, and distributed child pornography. Some of the videos and images possessed by McHenry contained violent conduct, and one of the images depicted the sexual exploitation of an infant. At the time of the offense, McHenry was working as a deputy for Steuben County Sheriff’s Office.

The plea is the result of an investigation by the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Kevin Sucher, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Mark Grimm, and the Steuben County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Jim Allard.

Sentencing is scheduled for January 6, 2026, at 10 a.m. before Judge Siragusa