New Paltz Man Charged With Sexual Expolitation Of A Child
Wednesday, April 30, 2025, 6:00 A.M. ET. 2 Minute Read, By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,
ALBANY, NY.- On Tuesday, a 24-year-old New Paltz, New York, man was taken into custody and jailed after being charged in connection with allegedly enticing a 15-year-old Maryland child to send him sexually explicit images of themselves to create child pornography.
According to U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone, III, on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, Max Fishkind, 24, of New Paltz, New York, was taken into custody and charged by federal criminal complaint with one count of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor. Following being charged, Fishkind made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart and pleaded not guilty to the charge. Following entering his plea, Judge Stewart ordered Fishkind detained pending a May 5, 2025, detention hearing.
According To Charging Information Filed In Criminal Complaint
According to the charging information filed in the criminal complaint, on September 23, 2024, Fishkind used, persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced a child into creating and sending him sexually explicit images of themselves over the instant messaging application Snapchat. The child, who was 15 years old at the time of the offense, reported that Fishkind told the child he was 17 years old, but the child later found out that Fishkind was not a minor and stopped chatting with him.
The investigation into Fishkind’s online activities began after the parents of the Maryland teen contacted the Federal Bureau of Investigation and reported that their child had engaged in inappropriate sexually explicit messaging with Fishkind, which included self-produced nude images of the child that had been sent to Fishkind over Snapchat.
After Federal agents learned that Fishkind had moved from Houston, Texas, to New Paltz, New York, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albany Field Office took over the investigation, which resulted in the filing of the criminal charge on Tuesday.
If convicted at trial, Fishkind faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in federal prison, at least five years and up to life of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. In addition to any sentence imposed upon a finding of guilty, Fishkind may also be ordered to pay restitution to his victim and will be required to register as a sex offender in the national database.
“The rules of the federal court require us to include a statement that states: The charges outlined in this publication are merely accusations, and the defendant and or defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.”
