Rochester man pleads to pornography charge for filming kids at church bathroom in Orleans

Press Release, U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross, Western District of New York

ROCHESTER – U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Stephen Nicot, 61, of Rochester, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr. to receipt of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a $250,000 fine.

Stephen Nicot

Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire, who is handling the case, stated that between 2012 and 2014, Nicot hid a camera in the bathroom of a church located in the Western District of New York. (Editor’s Note: Previous news reports and a press release from the U.S. Attorney stated the church was in Orleans County.)

Nicot positioned the camera so that it would capture video and images of naked individuals using the shower in the church bathroom. He did this knowing some of the individuals would be under the age of 18 and he planned to display the video of the minors.

On July 21, 2022, law enforcement executed a warrant at the Nicot’s residence and recovered a memory card and USB drive, which contained videos and images of at least five minor victims using the church bathroom and shower. Two cell phones were also seized, which contained naked images of a minor victim that were recorded by a camera hidden in a bathroom of Nicot’s residence.

The plea is the result of an investigation by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, under the direction Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia.

Sentencing is scheduled for May 6 before Judge Geraci.