Children as young as 7 years old are victimized online by dangerous criminals
GRAND JURY INDICTS LOCKPORT MAN ON CHARGES OF ENTICEMENT OF A MINOR AND PRODUCTION AND POSSESSION OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that a federal grand jury has returned an 11-count indictment charging Damon Singleton-Spencer, 33, of Lockport, NY, with enticement of a minor, three counts of production of child pornography, and seven counts of possession of child pornography. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life.
According to the indictment, on June 30, 2019, Singleton-Spencer coerced a minor victim to engage in sexual activity. He is accused of coercing the minor victim on three more occasions, in November 2020, June 2021, and November 2022, to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of the conduct. In addition, on February 16, 2024, Singleton-Spencer possessed three hard drives, a desktop computer, an SD card, a gaming computer, and a cellular telephone that all contained images of child pornography.
Singleton-Spencer was arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen M. McCarthy. The indictment is a result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejera and the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Michael Felicetti.
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.
ROCHESTER MAN ARRESTED, CHARGED WITH PRODUCTION AND RECEIPT OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY AND ENTICEMENT OF A MINOR
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Kenneth Tootle, 37, of Rochester, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with production of child pornography, enticement of a minor, and receipt of child pornography. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum of life.
According to the criminal complaint, on January 18, 2026, the Rochester Police Department received a report from a mother that she found disturbing messages between her seven-year-old daughter (minor victim) and Tootle on her daughter’s cell phone, including sexual photos and videos. A review of the minor victim’s phone confirmed that she was communicating with Tootle and sent him images and videos of herself that constitute child pornography. Subsequently, a search warrant was executed on Tootle’s cell phone. However, the complaint states that the images of child pornography sent by the minor victim to Tootle had been deleted.
Tootle made an initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark W. Pedersen and was held pending a detention hearing on April 20, 2026.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katelyn M. Hartford. The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Smith, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejera, and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter.
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.
CHEEKTOWAGA MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO PRODUCTION AND POSSESSION OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY
BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Dustin Coffelt, 36, of Cheektowaga, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to two counts of production and one count of possession of child pornography. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum of 30 years, and a $250,000 fine.
In July 2022, the Depew Police Department received a report that Coffelt sexually abused a 13-year-old girl (minor victim). Subsequent investigation determined that the alleged abuse may have been ongoing for several years and included communication over various social media applications and text messaging. On July 29, 2022, Coffelt provided a voluntary statement to detectives from the Depew and Cheektowaga Police Departments admitting to the sexual abuse and producing sexually explicit photographs of the minor victim. Coffelt also voluntarily provided his phone to the detectives and subsequent extraction of the device revealed numerous sexually explicit images of the minor victim, which constitute child pornography. Members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation subsequently arrested Coffelt on August 11, 2022.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maeve E. Huggins and Sasha Mascarenhas. The plea is the result of an investigation by the Depew Police Department, under the direction of Chief James McNamara, the Cheektowaga Police Department, under the direction of Chief Brian Coons, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejera.
Sentencing is scheduled for August 24, 2026, before Judge Vilardo.
