ALBANY, NEW YORK – Kurtis Walter, age 27, of Troy, New York, was sentenced today to serve 78 months in prison for distribution and receipt of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith, and Thomas F. Relford, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albany Field Office.

United States District Court Judge Mae A. D’Agostino also sentenced Walter to 15 years of supervised release, to begin following his term of imprisonment. Walter will also be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.

Walter pled guilty on January 23, 2020.  At that time, he admitted that in November 2017, he used a laptop computer equipped with an Internet-based instant messaging and file-sharing application to distribute child pornography. He also admitted to using the same laptop to search for and download child pornography, which he accessed through sites located on the Internet’s so-called dark web.  Walter’s laptop and external devices contained approximately 98 video files and 2,349 image files depicting child pornography.

This case was investigated by the FBI, with assistance from the New York State Police, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmet O’Hanlon. This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood.  Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States 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 http://www.justice.gov/psc/.

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Kurtis Walter, age 26, of Troy, New York, pled guilty yesterday to distributing and receiving child pornography.

The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and James N. Hendricks, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

As part of his guilty plea, Walter admitted that, in November 2017, he used a laptop computer equipped with an Internet-based instant messaging and file-sharing application to distribute child pornography.  He also admitted to using the same laptop to search for and download child pornography, which he accessed through sites located on the Internet’s “dark web.”  Walter’s laptop and external devices contained approximately 98 video files and 2,349 image files depicting child pornography.

Sentencing is scheduled for May 26, 2020 before United States Judge Mae A. D’Agostino.

Walter faces a minimum term of imprisonment of 5 years, and a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.  The Court is also required to impose a term of supervised release of between 5 years and life, and Baker will be required to register as a sex offender.  A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors

This case was investigated by the FBI, with assistance from the New York State Police, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmet O’Hanlon.

Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), and is designed to marshal 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.

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Kurtis Walter, age 24, of Troy, New York, was arrested today on a charge of distributing child pornography.

The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and Vadim D. Thomas, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Walter made an initial appearance today in Albany before United States Magistrate Judge Christian F. Hummel.  A detention hearing has been scheduled for April 23, 2018.

The complaint filed against Walter alleges that in November 2017 he distributed child pornography via a webcasting and peer-to-peer, file-sharing application.  The charges in the complaint are merely accusations.  The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

If convicted on all charges, Walter faces at least 5 years and up to 20 years in prison, a maximum $250,000 fine, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life.  A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.  If convicted, Walter would also have to register as a sex offender.

This case is being investigated by the FBI and the New York State Police, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmet O’Hanlon.

This case is being prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood.  Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), and is designed to marshal 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.