BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Andrew Neal, 22, of Columbia, Missouri, pleaded guilty to receipt of child pornography before Senior U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell T. Ippolito, who is handling the case, stated that between July 2018, and November 5, 2020, Neal received and attempted to receive sexually explicit images from three minor victims located in Lancaster, NY, San Francisco, California and Springfield, Missouri. Neal contacted the victims through Instagram and requested the sexually explicit images. If the victims did not comply, Neal threatened to share images previously sent by the victims with their Instagram followers. The victims initially complied but once they stopped, Neal did in fact share images with some of their Instagram followers.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 31, 2023, before Judge Skretny. #
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
