John Secor, Jr., a 44-year-old resident of Rome, New York, was charged in federal court with sexual exploitation of a child and receipt of child pornography. The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
According to the complaint, Secor allegedly began communicating online with a 16-year-old girl around May 2025. The conversations reportedly became sexual, with Secor requesting that the minor produce sexually explicit images and videos for him. It is also alleged that he attempted to arrange an in-person meeting to engage in sex acts with her. Authorities emphasized that these are allegations and that Secor is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
If convicted on the charge of receipt of child pornography, Secor faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to twenty years in prison. The charge related to sexual exploitation carries a mandatory minimum sentence of fifteen years and could result in up to thirty years' imprisonment. Both charges include possible fines up to $250,000 and supervised release ranging from five years to life. Upon release from prison, he would be required to register as a sex offender.
Secor appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Miroslav Lovric for arraignment and was ordered detained pending further proceedings.
Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated, “We thank HSI and the NYSP for their tireless work in this case that, once again, resulted in a dangerous sexual predator facing justice and a child saved from unspeakable horrors. The defendant’s conduct as alleged in the complaint is disgusting and despicable and my office will make sure he is held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. He is also detained pending trial, which would not have happened had he been charged in a local court thanks to the bail ‘reform’ that has been plaguing New York State for eight years and counting.”
Erin Keegan commented on behalf of HSI: “These allegations represent some of the most reprehensible crimes imaginable, preying on the innocence of a child. HSI remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting our communities by leveraging our investigative expertise and partnerships to bring predators like this to justice. We will continue to work tirelessly with our federal, state, and local partners to ensure those who exploit children are held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James added: “Anyone involved in child pornography, promoting the acts of child predators, or performing predatory acts against children must understand that such crimes will not be tolerated. Through the partnership among members of the United States Attorney’s Office and the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations we were able to gather the necessary evidence and bring charges against Mr. Secor. The charges send a clear message as to the severity of the alleged crimes and our diligence in finding justice for the victims.”
The investigation is being conducted by HSI along with New York State Police (NYSP). Assistant United States Attorney Adrian LaRochelle is prosecuting this case under Project Safe Childhood.
Project Safe Childhood is an initiative led by U.S Attorneys' Offices alongside other federal agencies aimed at addressing child sexual exploitation through coordinated efforts at all levels [https://www.justice.gov/psc](https://www.justice.gov/psc).
