Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Trevor Knapp, 32, of Tonawanda, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with distribution and possession of child pornography. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in April 2024, a 17-year-old minor female contacted the Flagstaff, Arizona Police Department stating that she was being harassed by a 32-year-old male named Tyler Knapp online. The minor victim met Knapp in 2020, when she was 13-years-old, on a website called, “mylol,” a friend finding website that she no longer uses. As the two began communicating, the conversations became sexual in nature. Knapp sent sexually explicit videos of himself to the minor victim. He also asked that she send naked images of herself, but she declined. However, the minor victim would get out of the shower naked while the two were video chatting and Knapp would screen capture an image of her. The two also messaged through Google Chat and Knapp utilized multiple Google email accounts. The minor victim, who was uncomfortable with how he was talking, would delete or block Knapp but he would utilize a new account to regain contact. Knapp also located the minor victim’s Instagram account and messaged her on that platform as well. The minor victim advised Knapp multiple times of her real age.
The minor victim requested for months that Knapp leave her alone, stating that she had a boyfriend. Knapp then requested images of the minor victim and her boyfriend having sex. He also sent her a naked image of a second minor victim, a female living in Pennsylvania. The two minor victims began communicating, and the second minor victim described Knapp as “the pedophile.” Subsequent investigation traced Knapp back to the Western District of New York.
On October 10, 2024, a search warrant was executed at Knapp’s residence, during which investigators seized his cell phone. A preliminary search recovered a sexually explicit video that included Knapp and the first minor victim.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Flagstaff, Arizona Police Department, under the direction of Chief Sean Connolly, the Town of Tonawanda Police Department, under the direction of Chief James Stauffiger, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia.
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.
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