Child Exploitation Investigation Leads To Arrest Of 29-Year-Old: NYSP

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY — A tip has led to the arrest of a Hudson Valley man in connection to a probe into child sexual exploitation.

New York State Police say that troopers from their Wappinger Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), along with the Troop K Computer Crimes Unit and the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, arrested 29-year-old Hamza Maanane, of Poughkeepsie, on Monday.

Police say the arrest stemmed from a joint investigation started in March, after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a cyber tip. The investigation determined that Maanane possessed digital images consistent with child sexual exploitation material.

Maanane was charged with sixteen felony counts of possessing an obscene sexual performance by a child under the age of 16, according to state police.

He was issued an appearance ticket and is scheduled to appear in Town of Poughkeepsie Court on July 29.