Ransomville Child Predator Sentenced On Federal Child Pornography Offense

Wednesday, July 9, 2025, 7:15 A.M. ET. 3 Minute Read, By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,

BUFFALO, NY.- Last Thursday, a 37-year-old Upstate, New York man, who apparently blamed his chronic use of marijuana for his internet activities, learned he would be to spending the next three years in federal prison after being sentenced for possessing thousands of digital images and video files depicting the sexual exploitation and abuse of children, including some depicting sexual violence on young children.

     According to U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo, on Thursday, July 3, 2025, John Stuart, 37, of Ransomville, New York, appeared in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York and was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to 36 months in federal prison, to be followed by 25 years of supervised release for his conviction of Possession of Child Pornography. In addition to the term of imprisonment, Judge Vilardo ordered Stuart to register as a sex offender upon release from federal prison.

According To Court Documents

     According to charging documents and statements made in the District Court, in August 2019, the Federal Bureau of Investigation received a CyberTip indicating that in May 2019, an online user accessed child pornography through a website on the Tor network. During the ensuing investigation, Agents were able to trace the IP address to Stuart’s residence in Ransomville, New York.

     In October 2020, Federal Agents and Detectives of the Cheektowaga Police Department obtained and executed a court-authorized search warrant at Stuart’s residence. During the search, law enforcement seized multiple electronic devices, including two laptop computers, a cellular phone, a hard drive, and a desktop tower. 

During A Search Of Stuart’s Devices Uncover Child Porn

     During a subsequent forensic examination of the devices, Investigators uncovered around 8,000 video files and around 2,000 digital images of child pornography on one of the laptops, and approximately 150 digital images and one video file of child pornography on the other laptop. On the cellular phone, Investigators uncovered 90 digital images and 150 video files of child pornography, and 90 digital images and two video files were discovered on the hard drive. 

     Many of the digital images and video files that were recovered from the electronic devices depicted the sex exploitation and abuse of prepubescent children, and some depicting the sexual violence committed against children by adults.

     During the execution of the search warrant, Investigators located and seized live marijuana plants and more than a pound of dried marijuana ready for consumption. Stuart admitted to Investigators that he was a “chronic user of marijuana.” Stuart was also found to be in possession of three firearms. Because he was a user of controlled substances, Stuart was prohibited from owning or possessing firearms.

     U.S. Attorney DiGiacomo commended the investigative work of Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and members of the Cheektowaga Police Department, which led to the successful prosecution of Stuart.