A Madison County man admitted in federal court to trading child sexual abuse material online, including sending explicit videos to someone he believed was a 12-year-old girl.
Jacob Netzel, 33, of Oneida, pleaded guilty April 23 to distribution and possession of child pornography, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York. Prosecutors say his activity spanned more than two years and involved multiple social media and file-sharing platforms.
As part of his plea, Netzel admitted that between April 2022 and November 2024, he used various apps to both receive and distribute illicit material. In one instance in May 2023, he communicated with an individual he believed to be a 12-year-old girl — who was actually an undercover law enforcement officer — and sent multiple explicit videos during that exchange.
Authorities said Netzel also participated in online group chats where users traded child sexual abuse material, including activity as recently as November 2024. He further admitted to knowingly possessing such material on his cellphone when it was seized by investigators.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the New York State Police. Federal prosecutors said the charges reflect the seriousness of the conduct, noting that distribution carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and up to 20 years, while possession carries a maximum of 20 years.
Netzel is scheduled to be sentenced August 18 in federal court in Utica before U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Brindisi. Any sentence will be determined by the court based on federal guidelines and statutory factors.
The case is being prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative aimed at identifying, prosecuting, and preventing the exploitation of children online.
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