Convicted Sex Offender From Elmira Going To Prison For 14 Years For Possessing Child Pornography

ROCHESTER, N.Y.- U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Brian Thomas, 59 of Elmira, NY, who was convicted of possession of child pornography, was sentenced to serve 14 years in prison and 10 years supervised release by Chief U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr. to possessing child pornography.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who handled the case, stated that on March 29, 2020, the defendant distributed, to an undercover FBI Task Force Officer, child pornography depicting the sexual abuse of several prepubescent children. Using IP information, the FBI located Thomas and executed a search warrant at his residence. Digital storage devices, including a computer and thumb drive, were seized. A forensic examination determined that Thomas received and possessed child pornography on both devices. 

The defendant is a registered sex offender following previous New York State convictions for child sexual abuse and child exploitation crimes. When interviewed by the FBI, Thomas admitted that during the 1980’s and 1990’s, he sexually abused approximately nine children between the ages of 4 and 10. 

The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Corning Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia, with assistance from the Elmira Police Department, under the direction of Chief Joseph Kane.