United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced on May 8 the unsealing of a complaint charging Andrew Ford with sexual exploitation of a minor and transportation of a minor for unlawful sexual activity. Ford was arrested and presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew E. Krause in White Plains federal court, where he was ordered detained.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by federal authorities to address crimes involving the exploitation of children. Law enforcement officials stress the importance of identifying and prosecuting individuals who commit such offenses.
“As alleged, Andrew Ford sexually abused a 13-year-old child and documented that abuse with photographs—compounding the harm to an already vulnerable victim,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Sexual predators should know this: In 2025 and 2026, our Office has brought federal charges against an unprecedented volume of individuals for the sexual exploitation of children and child pornography. If you prey on children in New York, you will be identified, arrested, and prosecuted. New Yorkers want you in prison.”
According to allegations in the complaint, in December 2024 a 13-year-old disclosed to law enforcement that Ford had sexually abused her multiple times in Westchester County, New York, as well as Connecticut. On May 12, 2025, Ford was arrested and charged locally with two counts of rape in the second degree; he was arraigned on May 13 but released on bail at that time. A search conducted after his arrest reportedly revealed sexually explicit images taken after transporting the victim from Westchester County to Greenwich, Connecticut.
Authorities believe there may be additional victims connected to this case and encourage anyone with information to contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation at their tip line or website.
Ford is charged federally with one count each of sexual exploitation of a child (carrying a mandatory minimum sentence of fifteen years) and transportation of a child for unlawful sexual activity (carrying a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years). Sentencing will ultimately be determined by judicial discretion within statutory guidelines prescribed by Congress.
Clayton praised investigative efforts by multiple agencies including the FBI as well as local police departments involved in Connecticut and Westchester County.
