U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Dale E. Trimmer, 46, of Spencerport, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with the attempted production and receipt of child pornography, and attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor.
The charges carry a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum penalty of 30 years, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, beginning in December 2020, the defendant attempted to communicate with minors online using a chat application.
During one such chat, Trimmer engaged in a sexually explicit conversation with a person who he believed was a 13-year-old girl, but who was actually an undercover law enforcement officer.
The defendant told the girl that he wanted to have sex with her and attempted to solicit sexually explicit photographs. Trimmer also sent the girl a sexually explicit video of himself, as well as photographs of gifts, including stockings, that he bought for her.
As the conversations continued, Trimmer discussed meeting the girl for sex, and formulated several plans as to how they could carry on a sexual relationship.
The defendant made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark W. Pedersen and is being held pending a detention hearing.
The criminal complaint is the result of an investigation by the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia, and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter.
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.