Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. — U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Christian A. Poole, 32, of Medina, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possession of child pornography. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Maeve E. Huggins, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, Poole joined a chatroom on the Telegram application, where he observed child pornography and downloaded at least 60 photos and videos. In May 2022, the Medina Police Department seized Poole’s electronic devices, including his cell phone. An initial search of the phone recovered several videos of child pornography. Subsequently, a forensic review recovered approximately 423 images and approximately 560 videos containing child pornography. Some of the images and videos included depictions of violence against children.
Poole made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder, Jr. and was held pending a detention hearing on January 29, 2025.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, the Medina Police Department, under the direction of Chief Todd Draper, and the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Christopher Bourke.
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.