Conner Buskey, a 20-year-old resident of Saratoga Springs, New York, was arrested and charged on Friday with receipt and possession of child pornography. The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Buskey had previously been arrested by the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office and charged with raping a minor known to him. During that arrest, law enforcement seized his phone and discovered images and videos containing child sexual abuse material, which led to the current federal charges. Authorities noted that these are accusations at this stage, and Buskey is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
On Friday afternoon, Buskey appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Paul J. Evangelista in federal court and was ordered remanded to custody.
Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated: “Conner Buskey was arrested and charged in state court with raping a minor, but was inexplicably released on bail. He is a danger to the community who should be detained, which is why my office has charged him. I thank our partners at the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office, the Saratoga County District Attorney’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations for their work in helping bring this individual to justice, and keeping our children and community safe from this alleged predator.”
Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the HSI Buffalo Field Office, added: “Conner Buskey is accused of abhorrent crimes against an innocent child, and would be roaming free if not for the federal charges brought last week. I applaud our HSI Albany personnel, the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of New York for ensuring the wellbeing of the public, including and especially victims and vulnerable communities, remains the priority above all else.”
The charge of receipt of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison with a maximum penalty of twenty years. The possession charge also carries up to twenty years in prison. Both offenses can result in fines up to $250,000 each as well as supervised release ranging from five years to life after incarceration. If convicted, Buskey would be required to register as a sex offender upon release.
Homeland Security Investigations is leading the investigation with support from the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Walter is prosecuting.
This case falls under Project Safe Childhood—a national initiative led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along with other federal divisions—to address child sexual exploitation through coordinated efforts among federal, state, and local agencies to locate offenders and rescue victims. More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at https://www.justice.gov/psc.
