BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul Jr. announced today that Johannes Hiram, 50, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott S. Allen, Jr., who is handling the case, stated that on March 14, 2014, law enforcement officers searched the defendant’s residence on Linview Terrace in Buffalo. Officers recovered a Compaq Presario desktop computer and a Hewlett Packard mini laptop. A subsequent forensic examination determined that the devices contained approximately 750 image files and 20 videos containing child pornography. Over 400 of the image files depicted the sexual abuse of children. Some of the images also depicted victims under the age of 12.
After his arrest in March 2014, Hiram pleaded guilty in Erie County Court on May 28, 2014, to sexual contact with an individual less than 11 years old. As a result, Hiram is already a registered sex offender.
Hiram’s sentencing in federal court is scheduled for Oct. 2, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. before Judge Vilardo.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Daniel Derenda and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Child Exploitation Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Adam S. Cohen. The task force includes the Buffalo Police Department, Cheektowaga Police Department, and Niagara County Sherriff’s Office.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
