Former Brockport kindergarten teacher pleads guilty to child pornography

Staff Reports Posted 7 March 2018 at 7:42 am

BUFFALO – A former Brockport kindergarten teacher pleaded guilty in federal court on Tuesday to receipt of child pornography. The charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 20 in prison, and a $250,000 fine.

Roland Yockel, II, 31, of Hilton pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford, U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. said in a news release.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who is handling the case, stated that in July 2017, the defendant was identified by Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) Special Agents in Phoenix involved in an ongoing child pornography probe with investigators from New Zealand. That investigation identified individuals who utilized an Internet based application to receive and distribute child pornography.

On May 22, 2017, and July 24, 2017, a New Zealand investigator, acting in an undercover capacity, observed multiple individuals accessing chat rooms, including an individual with the user name “Ryancba,” who posted links to image files depicting suspected child pornography. The IP address traced back to the defendant. The sexually explicit images, posted by Yockel, included pre-pubescent children.

On November 21, 2017, a search warrant was executed at the defendant’s North Avenue residence. Agents recovered DVD’s containing numerous videos and images of child pornography. A forensic examination of the digital media recovered approximately 5,500 images and 247 videos containing child pornography. Yockel resided in the basement of the North Avenue residence with his parents and siblings.

Sentencing is scheduled for June 14, 2018, at 3 p.m. before Judge Wolford.

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