Nicholas Sherlock, a 33-year-old resident of Watervliet, New York, has been indicted on charges of receiving child pornography. The indictment alleges that between August 2024 and May 2025, Sherlock received numerous graphic images and videos depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct through a social media application on the Internet. He was ordered detained following the indictment.
The charges against Sherlock are accusations at this stage, and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III commented: “As alleged, Sherlock received child sexual abuse material over the internet. This is unfortunately a type of crime that is far too common. Every day we work hard to rid our communities of people who have a sexual interest in children. All such people belong in prison.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Craig L. Tremaroli stated: “The allegations against Mr. Sherlock are repulsive, and the FBI is committed to dedicating every resource necessary to investigate these disturbing cases involving horrific images of our most vulnerable.”
If convicted, Sherlock faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to twenty years in prison, as well as a fine up to $250,000 and supervised release for at least five years up to life. Sentencing will be determined by a judge based on federal statutes and guidelines. If released from prison, Sherlock would be required to register as a sex offender.
The case is being investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Wentworth-Ping.
This prosecution falls under Project Safe Childhood, an initiative led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). The program coordinates federal, state, and local resources to locate and prosecute individuals exploiting children online while also working to identify victims. More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at https://www.justice.gov/psc.
