Jefferson County Man Receives 21-Year Federal Sentence for Child Pornography Offenses

James Yerdon, age 56, of Adams Center, New York, was sentenced on Monday, November 9, 2026, to 262 months (approximately 21 years and 10 months) in federal prison for charges of receiving and possessing child pornography. The sentencing was announced by First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III, Anthony Patrone, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and New York State Police (NYSP) Superintendent Steven G. James.

Yerdon, a previously convicted sex offender, had pleaded guilty prior to sentencing. He admitted that on May 13, 2025, he possessed multiple images and videos of child pornography downloaded from the internet. The materials included depictions of the sexual abuse of children as young as five months old. Additionally, Yerdon possessed nude images of a 7-year-old child that he had created during a trip with the child to the Albany, New York area.

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarcone characterized Yerdon's conduct as "horrific" and emphasized the appropriateness of the lengthy sentence. He noted that Yerdon was a repeat offender who not only accumulated child pornography online but also directly targeted children within the community. Sarcone expressed gratitude to HSI and the New York State Police for their dedicated efforts in protecting communities and children from predators like Yerdon.

NYSP Superintendent Steven G. James condemned Yerdon's actions, stating that he showed no regard for his victims or their well-being, exploiting them in a deplorable manner. James highlighted that the case underscores the commitment of law enforcement to fully prosecute individuals who prey on vulnerable and defenseless persons, especially when trust is involved. He reaffirmed the State Police's dedication to collaborating with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and HSI to intercept predators and halt the harm they cause.

In addition to the prison term, Chief U.S. District Judge Brenda K. Sannes sentenced Yerdon to a 20-year term of supervised release to commence following his release from incarceration. Yerdon is also required to register as a sex offender upon release. The court ordered him to pay $26,000 in restitution to the victims of his offenses.

The investigation was conducted jointly by Homeland Security Investigations and the New York State Police. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Adrian LaRochelle as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse.

Project Safe Childhood is led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). The initiative coordinates federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals exploiting children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. More information about Project Safe Childhood is available at https://www.justice.gov/psc.

The announcement of Yerdon's sentencing coincided with other related cases in New York. On November 10, 2026, Gregory Conrad Puzio, also known as "Tony G.", age 41, of Albany, New York, was sentenced to 120 months in prison for receiving child pornography. Separately, Joseph Nash, age 47, of Ulster County, New York, pled guilty to failing to update his sex offender registration to include an email address. Additionally, on October 21, 2026, Rylin Turley, age 27, of Cleveland, New York, was sentenced to 37 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release for possession of child pornography.

These cases collectively demonstrate ongoing federal and state efforts to address and prosecute offenses involving child exploitation and to protect vulnerable populations from sexual abuse.

Official reference: View the original document.