Ulster County Man Accused Of Having Sexually Explicit Photos Of Minors

PINE BUSH, NY — A 71-year-old Ulster County man was accused of having sexually explicit photos and videos of minors.

The Ulster County Sheriff’s Office said Wednesday that the 71-year-old Pine Bush resident was charged with possessing obscene sexual performance by a child, a felony.

MidHudson News reported the man’s name as James Knuth.

The sheriff’s office said in a Facebook post, detectives started an investigation into the man on Feb. 2 after it was said he had been in communication with a social media account pretending to be a minor girl for several months. Authorities said the communication was sexually explicit in nature.

Law enforcement said the man was found to have numerous videos and photographs depicting sexually explicit content involving minors.

On Monday, detectives and members of the United States Marshals Service NY/NJ Regional Fugitive Task Force executed an indictment warrant of arrest and took the man into custody.

He was taken to the Ulster County Jail pending arraignment in Ulster County Court.

Detectives were assisted with the investigation by members of the Ulster County District Attorney’s Office, the U.S. Marshals Service and the Town of Shawangunk Police Department.