Sentencing Rescheduled For Jamestown Man On Child Pornography Charges

BUFFALO — The sentencing for a Jamestown man who previously pleaded guilty to Federal charges of possession and production of child pornography was recently adjourned again in U.S. District Court. 

The U.S. Attorney’s Office tells WNYNewsNow that James A. Chapman will now be sentenced on September 1 at 11:30 a.m. Chapman faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum of 40 years, and a $250,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango, who is handling the case, said that on Nov. 24, 2014, Chapman and Victim 1 communicated via Facebook Messenger about engaging in sexual activity. During the communications, the defendant offered to pay Victim 1 and one of her friends $60 each to have sex with him. Victim 1 stated that she was 16-years-old and that her friend was the same age. Later that evening, Victim 1 and Victim 2 went to Chapman’s residence in Jamestown, and the defendant engaged in sexual intercourse with them, after which Chapman paid each victim $60.

Following the sexual activity, Chapman used his cellular telephone to take a picture of Victim 1 and Victim 2 completely nude sitting on his bed. A review of Chapman’s Facebook accounts revealed that he then distributed the photograph, which constitutes child pornography, to four other individuals.

Subsequently, on April 7, 2017, the defendant began communicating with Victim 3, who was 17-years-old, through Facebook. During their communications, Chapman requested and received a sexually explicit image of Victim 3. The defendant then sent the image, which constitutes child pornography, to another individual. In addition, Chapman sent Victim 3 the sexually explicit image he took of Victim 1 and Victim 2.

The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert, and the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Harry Snellings.