March 22, 2025
FROM STEUBEN CO SHERIFF JIM ALLARD: Steuben County Sheriff Jim Allard reports that on October 18, 2024, the New York State Police Special Investigations Unit conducted an early morning search warrant at the home of Deputy Sheriff Stuart McHenry, as part of a criminal investigation. The search entailed electronic devices at that location. Deputy McHenry was placed on administrative leave from the Sheriff’s Office until the investigation was completed. Yesterday, agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation took Mr. McHenry into custody for Distribution and Receipt of Child Pornography. He voluntarily submitted to agents, who then took him to Rochester, New York, for federal arraignment.
The Steuben County Sheriff’s Office, at all times, cooperated with this investigation. We have confirmed that no agency property was utilized, nor unlawful actions conducted while on duty. Although we are incredibly disappointed and embarrassed by the allegations involved in this incident, in the interests of full transparency we felt it necessary to report this arrest and reiterate that these allegations are not, in any way, in alignment with our core values.
FROM THE US ATTORNEYS OFFICE:
U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Stuart J. McHenry, 34, of Hornell, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with distribution and receipt of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a fine of up to $250,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katelyn M. Hartford, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on July 5, 2024, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a CyberTip from the instant messaging application Kik, which stated that Kik user “acman990,” uploaded approximately 24 files of suspected child pornography. A review of the files found that approximately 22 of the files constituted child pornography, which he sent to other users via private message. Subsequent investigation traced the account to the defendant.
During the course of the investigation, it was determined that McHenry works as a deputy for Steuben County Sheriff’s Office. On October 18, 2024, investigators seized two cellular telephones during the execution of a search warrant at McHenry’s Hornell residence. A forensic review of one of the phones determined that Kik was previously installed on the phone and located evidence of use of the Kik username acman990. A review of McHenry’s iCloud account recovered a number of sexually explicit conversations and child pornography on Kik, including the videos reported in the CyberTip as well as additional videos and images of child pornography.
McHenry made an initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark W. Pedersen and was held pending a detention hearing.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Kevin Sucher, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, and the Steuben County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Jim Allard.
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.
