Upstate New York school bus driver arrested on child pornography charges
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – A Utica City School District bus driver has been arrested for distributing and possessing child pornography. This case is being investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations.
David McMurray, 28, of Utica, N.Y., was arrested yesterday by HSI special agents and made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew T. Baxter. McMurray faces up to 20 years in federal prison, a fine of $250,000 and a lifetime of supervised release. McMurray was remanded into custody pending a detention hearing scheduled for Feb. 21, 2012.
"Child pornography is the permanent record of a child being sexually exploited," said Nick DiNicola, assistant special agent in charge, HSI Albany. "These children are continually victimized every time those images are transmitted, downloaded, shared or viewed. HSI will continue to work closely with its law enforcement counterparts to vigorously investigate these cases and seek justice for the innocent victims."
McMurray's arrest is the result of Operation Predator, a nationwide HSI initiative to protect children from sexual predators, including those who use this Internet to distribute, receive and possess child pornography. HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or online at www.ICE.gov/tips.
McMurray is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tamara B. Thomson, Northern District of New York.
The charges are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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