DOLGEVILLE - A local man faces at least 15 years in prison after admitting he produced pornographic videos and photos of three girls between ages 8 and 11.
Nathan Brown, 32, of 107 County Highway 151, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Albany to three counts of producing child pornography and two counts of possessing child pornography.
Brown admitted he used smartphones to make the videos and photos of the girls in 2010 and 2011, according to the Department of Justice. The videos and still images were produced in either a trailer home in Fulton County or in a hotel room in Warren County, according to a Department of Justice news release.
Brown also admitted that at his residence in Dolgeville, he possessed thousands of child pornography still images and videos, all of which he acquired via the Internet, authorities said.
"This case represents the latest successful prosecution by the United States Attorney's Office of those who would endanger children through the production and possession of child pornography in this district," U.S. Attorney Richard S. Hartunian said in the news release. "The lengthy prison sentence faced by this defendant reflects the severity of his conduct, and this office will continue to aggressively partner with our law-enforcement partners to pursue and prosecute such offenders to the fullest extent of the law."
Sentencing was scheduled for Sept. 12 in U.S. District Court in Albany.
Brown faces a mandatory minimum sentence of at least 15 years in prison on each of the three counts of production and up to a maximum of 30 years in prison on each count. Brown faces a maximum prison term of 10 years on each of the two counts of possession.
Each count of conviction carries a fine of up to $250,000.
Brown is being held at the Rensselaer County Jail pending his sentencing.
Brown was arrested March 9 and later was indicted on five felony charges.
Rick Belliss, assistant U.S. attorney, said this morning that authorities tracked down Brown after one of the images of one of the victims was identified on a child pornography website. The victim was traced to a residence in Fulton County, Belliss said.
Belliss said Brown knew his victims because he "had connections" with the victims' family members.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement unit of the Department of Homeland Security.