Oneida County Man Charged with Sexual Exploitation of a Child and Receipt of Child Pornography

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK - John Secor, Jr., age 44, of Rome, New York, appeared in federal court on Friday on charges of sexual exploitation of a child and receipt of child pornography, announced Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

The complaint filed against Secor, Jr. alleges that beginning in or about May 2025, Secor Jr. began chatting online with a 16-year-old girl. Secor Jr.'s chats with the child quicky became sexual in nature with Secor Jr. requesting that the child create sexually explicit images and videos of herself for him, which she did. The complaint also alleges that on least one occasion Secor Jr. attempted to arrange a meeting with the child during which Secor Jr. planned to engage in sex acts with the child. The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. Secor, Jr. is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The receipt charge filed against Secor, Jr. carries a mandatory minimum term of 5 years in prison and a maximum term of 20 years. The exploitation charge carries a mandatory minimum term of 15 years in prison and a maximum term of 30 years. Both charges carry a fine of up to $250,000 and a term of supervised release between 5 years and life. Secor, Jr. would also be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison. A defendant's sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.

Secor Jr. was arraigned before United States Magistrate Judge Miroslav Lovric and ordered detained pending further proceedings.

Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated, "We thank HSI and the NYSP for their tireless work in this case that, once again, resulted in a dangerous sexual predator facing justice and a child saved from unspeakable horrors. The defendant's conduct as alleged in the complaint is disgusting and despicable and my office will make sure he is held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. He is also detained pending trial, which would not have happened had he been charged in a local court thanks to the bail 'reform' that has been plaguing New York State for eight years and counting."

Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Buffalo Field Office, stated, "These allegations represent some of the most reprehensible crimes imaginable, preying on the innocence of a child. HSI remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting our communities by leveraging our investigative expertise and partnerships to bring predators like this to justice. We will continue to work tirelessly with our federal, state, and local partners to ensure those who exploit children are held accountable to the fullest extent of the law."

New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said, "Anyone involved in child pornography, promoting the acts of child predators, or performing predatory acts against children must understand that such crimes will not be tolerated. Through the partnership among members of the United States Attorney's Office and the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations we were able to gather the necessary evidence and bring charges against Mr. Secor. The charges send a clear message as to the severity of the alleged crimes and our diligence in finding justice for the victims."

HSI and NYSP are investigating this case, which is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adrian LaRochelle as part of Project Safe Childhood.

Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.