FEDS: Steuben County Sheriff’s Deputy Went by "acman990" Online, Faces Child Pornography Charges
A Steuben County sheriff’s deputy has been arrested on federal charges of distributing and receiving child pornography, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York.
Stuart J. McHenry, 34, of Hornell, was charged following an investigation involving multiple law enforcement agencies. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a fine of up to $250,000.
According to prosecutors, the investigation began on July 5, 2024, when the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a CyberTip from the messaging platform Kik. The tip reported that a user, identified as “acman990,” had uploaded 24 files of suspected child pornography, 22 of which were later confirmed to contain explicit content. Authorities traced the account to McHenry.
Investigators executed a search warrant at McHenry’s Hornell residence on October 18, 2024, seizing two cellphones. A forensic review found that Kik had been used on one of the devices under the username “acman990.” Additionally, investigators discovered explicit conversations, images, and videos in McHenry’s iCloud account, including files mentioned in the initial CyberTip.
McHenry, who was employed as a deputy with the Steuben County Sheriff’s Office at the time of the investigation, appeared in federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark W. Pedersen on Friday. He was held in custody pending a detention hearing.
The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office with assistance from the New York State Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Steuben County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities emphasized that the charges are accusations and that McHenry is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
