Syracuse Man Charged With Receiving Child Pornography

Thomas Pennington, age 57, of Syracuse, New York, appeared in federal court October 2, 2026, on charges of receiving child pornography. Pennington was detained pending further proceedings.

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.

The complaint filed against Pennington alleges that on or about October 1, 2026, Pennington received child pornography on multiple electronic devices. Pennington admitted to using the internet to find and download child pornography files.

First Assistant U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone said, "When Pennington searched the internet, as alleged, for child pornography and received those files on his devices, he may have thought his victimization of the children depicted would go undetected. But thanks to our partners at HSI, Pennington will face the court and be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law for his heinous actions."

"Thomas Pennington's alleged conduct represents deeply disturbing exploitation that perpetuates the abuse of children and compounds the lasting trauma endured by victims," said HSI Buffalo Acting Special Agent in Charge Anthony Patrone. "One exploited child is one too many, and every instance demands a determined response. HSI Syracuse remains steadfast in working alongside our law enforcement partners to hold offenders accountable, combat child exploitation, and protect the most vulnerable members of our communities."

The receipt charge filed against Pennington carries a mandatory minimum term of 5 years in prison and a statutory maximum prison term of 20 years. The charge also carries a fine of up to $250,000 and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. Pennington will 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. The charges presented are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

This case was investigated by HSI. Assistant U.S. Attorney A.J. Vickey is prosecuting 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.