CORNING MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO POSSESSION OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced Tuesday that Robert W. Wood, 49, of Corning, NY, pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr. to possession of child pornography. The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a $250,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire, who is handling the case, stated that in 2011, the defendant was convicted of possession of child pornography and sentenced to 24 months in prison and 15 years supervised release. While on supervised release, members of the U.S. Probation Department made an unannounced visit to Wood’s residence and found an unauthorized smart phone in his possession. A search of the phone revealed that the defendant was in possession of over 2,300 images and over 20 videos of child pornography, some of which depicted the sexual abuse of infants and toddlers. The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert, and the U.S. Probation Department, under the direction of Chief Probation Officer Anthony SanGiacomo. Sentencing is scheduled for January 10, 2020, before Judge Geraci.