Oscar F. Hernandez III, 24, of Buffalo, was sentenced on Mar. 27 to ten years in prison and ten years of supervised release after being convicted of possession of child pornography involving a prepubescent minor following a prior conviction under New York law related to possession of child pornography. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr., according to an announcement from U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo.
The case is significant because Hernandez had previously been convicted in December 2022 for Attempted Possessing a Sexual Performance by a Child in New York State Court and was serving six years of probation at the time he committed the new offense.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas A.C. Penrose said that on June 18, 2024, Hernandez used Instagram to share two videos containing child pornography with another user he believed to be a minor. He uploaded these videos using his cellular phone and sent them through Instagram.
Law enforcement executed a search warrant at Hernandez’s residence on May 14, 2025, where they seized several electronic devices including the cell phone used for sharing illicit material. Authorities found fifteen images depicting child pornography stored on the device.
The investigation leading up to this sentencing was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations under Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
