Syracuse man with prior sex convictions charged in child pornography case

A Syracuse man already labeled a high-risk Level 3 sex offender is accused of buying child abuse videos on a social-media messaging app, a case that puts a spotlight on how prior convictions and registry warnings can still fail to stop repeat abuse. Federal prosecutors say Alden Fuller, 50, was found on April 23 with a cell phone containing a large amount of child pornography.

The U.S. Department of Justice said Fuller purchased the material from another user on the messaging application. Investigators say the files included videos of children as young as 6 being sexually abused. Fuller appeared in federal court on April 24 and was ordered detained pending trial on April 27.

Fuller’s criminal history is central to the case. The New York State Sex Offender Registry shows prior sex-crime convictions in 1997 and 2015, both resulting in one-year jail sentences. Federal authorities describe him as a previously convicted sex offender and a high-risk Level 3 offender, a designation meant to flag people judged more likely to reoffend. In this case, that warning did not stop prosecutors from alleging that Fuller returned to the same conduct through a phone and a private messaging platform.

First Assistant U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III said Fuller’s conduct showed he was willing to pay for videos of children being abused. Erin Keegan, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Buffalo, said the allegations underscore the ongoing threat posed by repeat offenders. The charges were announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York on May 5.

The federal case carries steep penalties. Receiving child pornography carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum of 40 years. Possession carries a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum of 20 years. Both counts also carry fines of up to $250,000 and supervised release ranging from five years to life.

For Syracuse and Onondaga County families, the case is a reminder that online exploitation often moves through ordinary devices and familiar apps, not just hidden networks. Parents who encounter suspected online child exploitation should preserve usernames, screenshots and device details, then contact local law enforcement or Homeland Security Investigations right away so evidence is not lost.

The Fuller case arrives amid other Northern District of New York prosecutions involving Syracuse-area defendants accused of child-pornography offenses, including cases involving prior sex-offense convictions or offenses committed while on probation.