Jacob Israel Walden, a healthcare executive from Long Island, was arraigned at the federal courthouse in Central Islip on charges related to child exploitation. The six-count indictment includes charges of sexual exploitation of children, receipt and possession of child pornography, and accessing such material with intent to view. Walden's arrest took place on July 31, 2024. United States District Judge Gary R. Brown has ordered his detention pending trial.
The indictment was announced by John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, alongside Spiros Karabinas, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in New Jersey.
“As alleged, the defendant enticed minors to produce sexually explicit photographs and videos of themselves and send them to him via the internet in exchange for payment,” stated United States Attorney Durham. “Protecting children from predators who sexually exploit them will always be a priority of my Office.”
“We are determined to dismantle the insidious network of online child sexual exploitation and abuse – no child’s innocence should be for sale,” said HSI Newark Acting Special Agent in Charge Karabinas. He emphasized the importance of public cooperation by notifying HSI if they suspect any child exploitation activities.
Court filings revealed that law enforcement identified Walden as a repeat purchaser within a large-scale production and distribution ring dealing with child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Investigations showed he used social media and encrypted messaging services to engage minors in explicit conversations, persuading them to create pornography for monetary compensation. During these interactions, he instructed minors on content creation while insisting on being called “daddy.” Numerous images and videos were recovered from his iPhone.
Walden is presumed innocent until proven guilty. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years up to 30 years in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Leonid Sandlar is leading the prosecution under the Criminal Section of the Long Island Criminal Division.