Richard Hockersmith, a 65-year-old resident of Plattsburgh, New York, has been sentenced to six years in federal prison for conspiring to receive and distribute child pornography and for possession of child pornography. The announcement was made by United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Hockersmith admitted to conspiring with co-defendant Jack Kelly in August 2022 to exchange child sexual abuse material. They exchanged an SD card containing images and videos via mail. During a search on September 12, 2024, authorities found the SD card at Hockersmith's residence.
In addition to imprisonment, United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci sentenced Hockersmith to a 10-year term of supervised release following his prison term. He will also be required to register as a sex offender upon release.
U.S. Attorney Sarcone emphasized the importance of diligent investigative work by agents from HSI and the New York State Police: “They thought they were being sly—using the mail to trade child pornography—but it didn’t work thanks to the diligent investigative work of the agents and investigators from HSI and the New York State Police.”
Erin Keegan added: “The defendant was sentenced for his heinous crime of receiving, possessing, and distributing child sexual abuse material.”
The case was investigated by HSI with assistance from New York State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian S. LaRochelle prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Project Safe Childhood is an initiative aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse through collaboration between federal, state, and local resources.
