Cyber Predator Task Force

Selkirk Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography Charge


April 20, 2010 - ALBANY—United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian and John F. Pikus, Special Agent-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Albany Division, today announced that, KEVIN FRONE, age 57, of Selkirk, New York, pled guilty in United States District Court in Albany before the Honorable Thomas J. McAvoy to count one of an information charging him with the receipt of child pornography.

In connection with his plea, FRONE admitted the following during his plea proceedings:

Between about December, 2004 and February, 2009, FRONE, while in his residence, used various computers to access the Internet. While on the internet FRONE downloaded and installed a file sharing program called "Google Hello" onto said computers. Google Hello is known as a peer-to-peer file-sharing program and it allows Internet users to trade and receive digital files from other users of computers with the same file sharing program.

While using the Google Hello program, FRONE obtained several electronic files containing still images and videos depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Additionally, FRONE obtained electronic files containing still image and videos depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct by visiting various child pornography websites. FRONE typically downloaded such still images and videos and saved said images to an Iomega external hard drive.

On February 9, 2009, investigators executed a federal search warrant at FRONE's residence in Selkirk, New York. Investigators seized computers and a Iomega external hard drive. The seized items were searched and forensic examinations of the aforementioned computers and external hard drive, all of which belonged to FRONE, were conducted. Approximately 500 still images and 100 movie files which depict minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, as those terms and phrases are defined in Title 18, United States Code, Section 2256(2), were recovered from the Iomega external hard drive. Said images depict individuals under the age of 18 engaged in, among other things, vaginal sex, oral sex, anal sex, sado-masochistic conduct, masturbation, and the lascivious exhibition of the genitals and pubic area. All of the images recovered depict actual, as opposed to computer generated, images of minors engaged in such conduct. A number of these images depict prepubescent minors engaged in such conduct.

FRONE knowingly and willfully received and possessed the child pornography images. He also received, downloaded, and possessed these images knowing that they depict minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. All of these images had either been transported in interstate or foreign commerce or were produced using materials that had been mailed, shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce. FRONE obtained such images from, among other places, individuals and websites located outside the State of New York.

On or about February 9, 2009 FRONE was interviewed by law enforcement officials. During this interview, he stated, among other things, that:

i. He used the aforesaid computers to search for and access child pornography via websites on the Internet and Google Hello;

ii. He saved some of the child pornography still images and movie files that he received via the Internet into an electronic folder entitled "pictures" on his Iomega external hard drive; and

iii. That he had been accessing and downloading child pornography on the Internet for approximately one year.

Sentencing was scheduled by Judge McAvoy for August 11, 2010, at 10:30 a.m. in U.S. District Court in Albany, New York. FRONE faces a maximum penalty of 20 years' imprisonment, with a mandatory minimum of five years, and a fine of up to $250,000.00. FRONE was released pending his sentencing.

This case was investigated by the FBI's Capital Region Cyber Predator Task Force.