Buffalo Boy Scouts troop leader arrested, charged with child exploitation crimes
BUFFALO, N.Y. — A Buffalo man, was arrested Tuesday and charged by criminal complaint with production and possession of child pornography following an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Daniel Huzinec, 23, allegedly shared photographs of male children engaged in sexually explicit conduct on a peer-to-peer website. This conduct included the sexual abuse of male children by adult males and male children engaging in sexual activity with other male children.
On Jan. 27, a search warrant was executed at the defendant's Marilla St. residence. Numerous items were seized from the residence including a laptop computer. A preliminary forensic analysis located visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
“The allegations in this case are particularly troubling because of the defendant's access to young people, but it underscores HSI's commitment to aggressively targeting predators who sexually exploit innocent children," said James Spero, special agent in charge of HSI Buffalo. "Some predators mistakenly believe the anonymity of cyberspace shields them from scrutiny when in fact, their use of computers gives us new tools in our efforts to protect children."
Huzinec works at two different organizations involving minor-age children: Child and Family Services and the Boy Scouts of America. Anyone with information regarding Huzinec is urged to contact HSI Buffalo at (716) 565-2039, extension 105.
Huzinec made an initial appearance Tuesday afternoon before U.S Magistrate Judge Hugh B. Scott. Huzinec was detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for Jan. 29.
The charges carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, a maximum of 30 years, and a $250,000 fine.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
This investigation was conducted under HSI's Operation Predator, an international initiative to protect children from sexual predators. Since the launch of Operation Predator in 2003, HSI has arrested more than 12,000 individuals for crimes against children, including the production and distribution of online child pornography, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking of children. In fiscal 2014, more than 2,000 individuals were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative.
HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators. Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST.
For additional information about wanted suspected child predators, download HSI's Operation Predator smartphone app or visit the online suspect alerts page.
HSI is a founding member and current chair of the Virtual Global Taskforce, an international alliance of law enforcement agencies and private industry sector partners working together to prevent and deter online child sexual abuse.
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