Canadian Citizen Sentenced for Transportation of Child Pornography

Shneur Gurkow, age 25, of Montreal, Canada, was sentenced September 15, 2026, to six and a half years in federal prison for transportation of child pornography. First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Anthony Patrone, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement.

As part of his plea, Gurkow admitted that in August 2025, he crossed the U.S.-Canada border at the Alexandria Bay, New York, Port of Entry with over 700 files of child pornography on his cell phone. Gurkow had utilized social media platforms and foreign-based filesharing applications to obtain child pornography for years before entering the U.S. with it on his device.

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarcone said: "Without the diligent efforts of our hardworking customs officials, the defendant would have been able to cross into the U.S. with a shocking number of illegal files on his cell phone. I thank CBP and HSI for identifying and investigating this despicable conduct."

"The more than 700 files carried across our border were not merely digital contraband; they depicted the sexual abuse of children whose trauma is compounded each time that material is shared," said Acting Special Agent in Charge Anthony Patrone. "This sentence holds the defendant accountable and helps prevent further circulation of material that inflicts lasting harm on victims and communities. HSI Syracuse will continue working with our law enforcement partners to identify offenders, protect children, and pursue justice for victims of exploitation."

HSI, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the New York State Police Computer Crimes Unit (NYSP CCU) investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Gillis prosecuted the case 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.