Rafael Arroyo-Ubiles, 27, of Geneva, New York, was arrested and charged with production and possession of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced on May 7. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, a lifetime period of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
The case highlights the ongoing efforts by law enforcement to address crimes involving child exploitation. According to the complaint, Arroyo-Ubiles came to the attention of the Geneva Police Department during an investigation into illegal narcotics sales in January. During searches related to that investigation, police discovered an online account belonging to Arroyo-Ubiles containing videos depicting sexual abuse of a five-year-old girl.
Arroyo-Ubiles made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Colleen D. Holland and was detained pending further proceedings. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi is prosecuting the case.
The investigation was conducted by the Geneva Police Department under Chief Ronald Eveland and the Federal Bureau of Investigation under Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejera.
"The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty," said DiGiacomo.
The United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of New York prosecutes federal criminal violations, handles civil cases for the United States and collects government debts; it maintains offices in Buffalo and Rochester while partnering with law enforcement agencies across its jurisdiction covering 17 counties in western New York according to the official website.
