Columbia County Man Admits Downloading Child Porn

COPAKE, NY — A Columbia County man admitted he downloaded child porn.

United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman said Thursday that Christopher Stickles, 35, of Copake, pleaded guilty to receiving child pornography.

Stickles said that, between January 2021 and August 2022, he accessed the internet in order to visit file-sharing sites and websites that contained child porn. He also admitted that while on those sites he downloaded more than 15,000 still images and video files that contained child porn.

When he is sentenced Dec. 20, Stickles faces at least five years and up to 20 years in prison. The judge will also be required to impose a term of post-release supervision of at least five years and up to a life term.

The court may also impose a fine, restitution and forfeiture of the computer he used to commit his offense.

Stickles will also have to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.