An Albany man has been arrested for allegedly posing online as a teenage boy to obtain child sexual abuse material from a minor victim, according to Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack.
Brian Hargraves, 54, was taken into custody on Tuesday and indicted on charges of possession of and access with intent to view child pornography. He appeared in federal court on May 21, 2025.
The charging documents state that law enforcement searched Hargraves' mobile phones on April 29, 2025, following a citizen complaint. A review revealed sexually explicit images and videos of a 16-year-old minor victim. Hargraves is accused of meeting the minor online while pretending to be a teenage boy and persuading her to create explicit content.
The statute under which Hargraves is charged provides for a sentence of no more than ten years. Sentences are determined by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and relevant statutes.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation with assistance from the Carroll County Sheriff’s Department and the Conway Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Vicinanzo is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in 2006 to protect children from exploitation and abuse. The project aims to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children while identifying and rescuing victims.
The allegations in the charging documents remain unproven until guilt is established beyond reasonable doubt in court.
