David Hullihen, a 41-year-old resident of Syracuse, has pled guilty to ten counts of receipt of child pornography. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the FBI.
Hullihen admitted to sending multiple videos depicting child sexual abuse material over the application Wire and possessing such material on his cell phone. He is a registered sex offender with two prior convictions for similar offenses in New York.
The charges carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of 40 years imprisonment. Sentencing will be determined by Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes on April 23, 2025. If the agreed-upon disposition is accepted, Hullihen will serve a prison term of 235 months. Additionally, he faces supervised release ranging from five years to life, a fine up to $250,000, restitution to victims, and must register as a sex offender post-release.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Albany Division Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force alongside police departments from Tiffin, Ohio; Syracuse, New York; and the New York State Police. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Tuck prosecuted under Project Safe Childhood.
Project Safe Childhood was initiated in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to enhance efforts against child exploitation online through collaboration among federal, state, and local agencies.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood: https://www.justice.gov/psc