CONTACT: Barbara Burns

PHONE: (716) 843-5817

FAX #: (716) 551-3051

BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Shane Guay, 28, of Olean, NY, with receipt and production of child pornography, and enticement of a minor. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a $250,000 fine.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Murray, who is handling the case, stated according to the indictment, in November 2016, the Ayer and Shirley, Massachusetts Police Departments received reports that approximately fifteen 6th grade females attending the Ayer/Shirley Middle School had received unsolicited messages of a sexual nature from a male only known as “George” on the social media application Instagram. According to incident reports obtained from both the Ayer and Shirley Police Departments “George” attempted to solicit sexually explicit images from the minor victims. To some of the minor females, “George” at first alleged to be a lesbian minor female, and sent topless images of a minor female to the victims before sending graphic photos of a male to the minor females. Investigators traced the Instagram account of “George” to the defendant. Subsequently, the New York State Police (NYSP) received all of the case materials from the Ayer/Shirley, Massachusetts investigation.

On April 17, 2018 Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Buffalo received an investigative lead from the Harris County, Georgia Sheriff's Office, which identified two 12-year-old females from Harris County, GA, who reported receiving unsolicited pictures and videos of a naked adult male from two Instagram users. Both Instagram accounts were traced to Guay.

On June 5, 2018, the NYSP and HSI Buffalo executed a state search warrant at the defendant’s North Street residence in Olean. Investigators seized 26 items of electronic evidence seized, including two cellular telephones, which contained multiple sexually explicit images. In total, 154 image files and five video files containing suspected child pornography were located on the seized devices. The investigation also determined that Guay sent sexual messages a minor female in Cape Town, South Africa.

The defendant was arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroder. 

The indictment is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly.

The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.  

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