Source: Office of United States Attorneys
BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Gerard Dzierzanowski, 52, of Lockport, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy to distribution of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Franz M. Wright, who is handling the case, stated that in February 2023, Dzierzanowski began communicating with who he believed was a 13-year-old girl using the Whisper Messenger application. The communications later transitioned to Kik Messenger, another online application. Dzierzanowski thought he was communicating with an actual 13-year-old girl, when in reality, he was communicating with an undercover law enforcement officer, who was involved in an investigation aimed at identifying users of Whisper and Kik attempting to engage in criminal sexual activity with children. The undercover officer repeatedly advised Dzierzanowski during the Kik chat that she was 13 years old. Dzierzanowski sent multiple images that meet the definition of child pornography. Dzierzanowski also sent videos that depicted a prepubescent female child engaged in sexually explicit behavior with an adult male. During the online conversations, Dzierzanowski requested the 13-year-old girl engage in sexually explicit behavior with him. The defendant also sent a “selfie” of himself, and a sexually explicit video of himself. In August 2023, a search warrant was executed at Dzierzanowski’s residence, during which multiple digital items, which contained images and videos depicting children engaged in sexually explicit conduct, were seized.
The plea is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan.
Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.
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