A federal grand jury has returned a 39-count indictment charging Trevor Knapp, 34, of Tonawanda, New York, with multiple offenses related to child pornography and sexual exploitation of minors, U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced on Mar. 11. The charges include production, distribution, and possession of child pornography, as well as traveling across state lines to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor. If convicted on all counts, Knapp faces a maximum penalty of 930 years in prison.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango, the case began when a 17-year-old girl contacted the Flagstaff, Arizona Police Department in April 2024 to report online harassment by Knapp. The indictment and previously filed complaint allege that Knapp first met the victim in 2020 through an online friend-finding website when she was just 13 years old. Their communications reportedly became sexual in nature over time.
The indictment states that Knapp sent sexually explicit videos of himself to the minor and requested nude images from her; although she declined these requests, he allegedly captured explicit images during video chats without her consent. Investigators say Knapp used multiple Google email accounts and social media platforms to maintain contact after being blocked by the victim.
The investigation also uncovered that Knapp sent a naked image of another minor victim from Pennsylvania to the first victim. The two minors later communicated about their experiences with Knapp. Authorities executed a search warrant at Knapp’s residence on October 10, 2024, seizing two cell phones containing child pornography and recovering an explicit video involving him and one of the victims.
The indictment covers alleged offenses involving six minor victims in total. It further accuses Knapp of traveling interstate twice for sexual encounters with one of them.
Law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation include the Flagstaff Police Department under Chief Sean Connolly, Town of Tonawanda Police Department under Chief Corey Flatau, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation led by Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejera.
Authorities remind that an indictment is only an accusation; defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
