SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Mark Hill, age 55, of Dexter, New York, appeared in federal court last week on charges of receiving and possessing child pornography.

First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Anthony Patrone, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) made the announcement.

The complaint alleges that during a search of Hill’s home on September 9, 2026, law enforcement recovered a laptop and hard drive belonging to Hill that contained thousands of media files of child pornography that Hill had downloaded using an internet-based peer-to-peer filesharing program. Because of Hill’s prior 2013 conviction in New York state for rape in the third degree, he is required to register as a sex offender.

The receipt of child pornography charge carries a term of imprisonment from 15 to 40 years. The possession of child pornography charge carries a term of imprisonment from 10 to 20 years. Both charges carry a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. Hill will also be required to continue registering as a sex offender upon his release from prison. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.

Hill appeared in Syracuse, New York, before United States Magistrate Judge Carla B. Freedman, and was detained pending trial.

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarcone stated, “This defendant’s recidivism has landed him exactly where he belongs, behind bars. Now my office will continue to work to ensure the defendant stays there for a very long time.”

“The allegations in this case are deeply disturbing: a registered sex offender is accused of using peer-to-peer technology to obtain thousands of files depicting the sexual exploitation of children,” said HSI Buffalo Acting Special Agent in Charge Anthony Patrone. “Those who seek out and download child sexual abuse material are not passive observers; they are participants in a cycle of exploitation that causes lasting harm to victims and threatens public safety. HSI Syracuse will continue to bring the full weight of our investigative capabilities to these cases in close coordination with our trusted federal, state, and local partners.”

The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

HSI is investigating the case with assistance from the New York State Police, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Cheung and Adrian LaRochelle are prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood.

Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.