Richard Hockersmith, a 65-year-old resident of Plattsburgh, New York, has pled guilty to charges of conspiring to receive and distribute child pornography and possession of child pornography. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Hockersmith admitted that in August 2022, he conspired with his co-defendant Jack Kelly to exchange child pornography. They decided to use an SD card for mailing the material back and forth. During a search on September 12, 2024, authorities found the SD card at Hockersmith's residence containing images and videos of child pornography.
Sentencing is scheduled for April 9, 2025, in Albany, New York before United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci. Hockersmith faces a prison term ranging from five to twenty years, supervised release between five years and life, and a maximum fine of $250,000. He will also be required to pay restitution to victims and register as a sex offender upon release.
The investigation is being conducted by HSI with assistance from the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office and the New York State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian S. LaRochelle is prosecuting the case under Project Safe Childhood.
Project Safe Childhood was launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat child exploitation via the Internet through collaboration among federal, state, and local resources.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.