SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Keith E. Hook, age 55, of Oswego, New York, was sentenced yesterday to 80 months in prison for distributing, receiving and possessing child pornography, announced United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and Kevin Kelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith said, “It is a sad day when a federal agent violates his duty to protect society in such a profound way. Thanks to the hard work of our law enforcement partners, Border Patrol Agent Hook has been held accountable for trading child pornography while on duty, and his sentence reflects the reprehensible nature of his behavior.”

As part of his guilty plea, Hook admitted that he used the Kik Messenger application to distribute and receive child pornography from other Kik users between January 2018 and July 2018.  Hook, using his iPod Touch, traded images of child pornography using a Wifi connection both at his home and while on duty at the Oswego Port of Entry.  Forensic analysis of Hook’s iPod revealed that at the time of his arrest he possessed on his iPod 138 images and 4 video files depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.  In addition to those images, Hook also had 10 video files and over 200 image files saved in his iCloud storage account and another 3 images stored on his laptop computer.  The images and videos included depictions of the rape and sodomy of prepubescent children and toddlers.

United States District Judge Hon. David N. Hurd also imposed a 10-year term of supervised release, which will start after Hook is released from prison, ordered a $300 special assessment, and a payment of $9,000 in restitution to the victims. As a result of his conviction, Hook will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.

Hook’s case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Syracuse, with assistance from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Office of Inspector General, U.S. Customs and Border Protection-Office of Professional Responsibility, The New York State Police Computer Crimes Unit, and NYSP Fulton.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey J. L. Brown.

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.

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Keith E. Hook, age 55, of Oswego, New York, pled guilty today to distributing, receiving and possessing child pornography, announced United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and Kevin Kelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith stated: “It is a sad day when a federal agent sworn to protect the public violates that duty in such a profound way.  Former Border Patrol Agent Hook exploited the most vulnerable members of our community, our children, by trading child pornography both on and off duty. Thanks to the hard work of our law enforcement partners, Hook will now be held fully accountable for his despicable conduct.”

HSI Special Agent in Charge Kevin Kelly stated: “The actions of an individual officer sworn to protect the public should in no way tarnish the excellent reputation of the overwhelming majority of those who wear the badge. This case should however demonstrate that HSI will hold accountable all of those involved in these crimes, regardless of the position they hold in the community.” 

In entering his guilty plea today in United States District Court, Hook, formerly a Border Patrol Agent, admitted that he used the Kik Messenger application to distribute and receive child pornography from other Kik users from January 2018 through July 2018.  Hook, using his iPod Touch, traded images of child pornography using a Wifi connection both at his home and while on duty at the Oswego Port of Entry.  Forensic analysis of Hook’s iPod revealed that at the time of his arrest he possessed on his iPod 138 images and 4 video files depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.  In addition to those images, Hook also had 10 video files and over 200 image files saved in his iCloud storage account and another 3 images stored on his laptop computer.  The images and videos included depictions of the rape and sodomy of prepubescent children and toddlers.

United States District Judge David N. Hurd will sentence Hook on October 24, 2019.  He faces at least 5 years and up to 20 years in prison for the distribution and receipt charges and up to 20 years in prison on the possession charge; a term of post-release supervision of at least 5 years and up to life; and a fine of up to $250,000. Hook will also be required to register as a sex offender.

This case is being investigated by HSI Syracuse with assistance from Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Professional Responsibility, New York State Police Computer Crimes Unit, and the New York State Police-Troop D, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey J. L. Brown.

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.

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Keith E. Hook, age 54, of Oswego, New York, appeared in federal court today on a charge that he distributed child pornography over the internet, announced United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and Kevin M. Kelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

According to the federal criminal complaint, Hook, a United States Border Patrol Agent, used the Kik Messenger application to distribute child pornography to other Kik users from April 30, 2018 through May 4, 2018. As alleged in the complaint, an initial forensic review of his personally owned iPod revealed that it contained approximately 34 image files and 2 video files depicting child pornography. The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Hook appeared today before United States Magistrate Judge Andrew T. Baxter, who ordered him detained pending a hearing scheduled for July 6, 2018.

If convicted, Hook faces at least 5 years and up to 20 years in prison, a term of post-release supervision of at least 5 years and up to life, and a fine of up to $250,000.  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.  Additionally, if convicted, Hook would be required to register as a sex offender.

This case is being investigated by HSI Syracuse with assistance from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General (DHS/OIG); U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Professional Responsibility; the New York State Police Computer Crimes Unit; and the New York State Police (Fulton station). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey J. L. Brown.

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.