Registered sex offender arrested on new child pornography charges

BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Eric A. Brown, 42, of Jamestown, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with distribution and possession of child pornography, which carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum of 40 years. According to the complaint, in February 2025, the New York State Police began investigating Eric Brown after receiving a report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). NCMEC received a tip from Quora, a social question-and-answer platform, stating that files of suspected child pornography were uploaded by an account subsequently traced to Brown. On June 24, 2026, investigators executed a search warrant at Brown’s Van Buren Street residence and seized two cell phones. A preliminary review of one of the cell phones determined that it contained suspected child pornography. Brown is a Level-1 Sex Offender in New York State following a 2015 Conviction for Possessing Sexual Performance by a Child. Brown made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and was held pending a detention hearing on August 12, 2026. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas A. C. Penrose. The complaint is the result of an investigation by the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Amie Feroleto, and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Anthony Patrone. 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. # # # #