Hudson Valley Man Gets Prison For Sharing Child Sexual Abuse Material

KINGSTON, NY — An Ulster County man will spend years behind bars for repeatedly sharing images and videos of children being sexually abused.

Ulster County District Attorney Emmanuel C. Nneji announced that 31-year-old Joseph O'Bryan, of Shawangunk, was sentenced on Thursday to state prison for possessing and promoting sexual performance by a child.

A New York State Police investigation in 2020 found that O'Bryan had downloaded and shared over 1400 images and videos of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). An Ulster County grand jury then indicted O'Bryan on multiple counts of downloading and sharing CSAM.

While his first case was pending, the district attorney says that O'Bryan continued in his criminal conduct, leading to another search of his devices and the discovery of over 280 new materials of CSAM.

O'Bryan pleaded guilty to possessing and promoting sexual performance by a child and admitted that he continued his criminal conduct even after being charged.

He received a sentence of 3 1/3-10 years in state prison, and will be required to register as a sex offender.

"Joseph O’Bryan's conduct directly contributes to the exploitation and trafficking of children," the district attorney said. "Investigations of these crimes take a toll on law enforcement who must be ever vigilant to serve and protect our community; we are grateful for their dedication and effectiveness in the continuing efforts to protect Ulster County’s children and beyond."