Alden Fuller, age 50, of Syracuse, New York, appeared in federal court on April 24 on charges of receiving and possessing child pornography. Fuller was ordered detained pending trial on April 27, according to an announcement from First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations.
According to the criminal complaint, Fuller is a previously convicted sex offender who was found in possession of a cellular telephone containing a large volume of child pornography. Authorities say he purchased this material from another user through an online social media messaging application. The content included videos depicting children as young as six years old being sexually abused.
Sarcone said: “As alleged, this defendant was so eager to obtain videos of children being sexually abused that he was willing to pay for it. This is not only reprehensible, but it also helped fuel the online market for material depicting the sexual abuse of children. This is all despite a prior conviction and 6-year state prison sentence. Now, this defendant faces decades in federal prison if convicted, which is exactly where every brazen repeat sexual offender belongs.”
Keegan said: “As a previously convicted sex offender, Alden Fuller’s alleged crimes highlight the ongoing threat posed by individuals who prey on children. This arrest underscores the critical importance of HSI’s partnerships with federal, state, and local counterparts to safeguard neighborhoods and hold criminals accountable. HSI Syracuse, together with the law enforcement community, will never stop fighting for children and other at-risk victims, and will relentlessly pursue anyone who seeks to exploit them.”
The charge of receiving child pornography carries a mandatory minimum term of 15 years in federal prison and up to 40 years; possession carries at least 10 years up to a maximum of 20 years. Both offenses can result in fines up to $250,000 each as well as supervised release between five years and life upon completion of any sentence. If released from prison after conviction or plea agreement under these charges Fuller would be required to continue registering as a sex offender.
The U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of New York prosecutes federal criminal cases across an area covering more than thirty thousand square miles—including offices in Albany—serving approximately three point four million residents with about fifty Assistant United States Attorneys supported by over fifty staff members; it also coordinates law enforcement initiatives designed both for prosecution purposes and fostering public trust through outreach programs according to the official website.
Fuller remains presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court proceedings ahead.
