An Elmira woman is among four defendants who pleaded guilty in a yearslong child exploitation conspiracy involving the production and distribution of child sexual abuse material, according to federal prosecutors.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York identified the defendants as Devin LaValley, 38, of Burlington, New York; Melissa McDougal, 30, of Pulaski; Grace Balthazor, 34, of Elmira; and Roxanne Clark, 45, of Bristol, Vermont.
Prosecutors said each defendant admitted to their role in the conspiracy or the trafficking of material produced through it.
LaValley admitted that he began intimate relationships with McDougal and Balthazor, both of whom had access to children. He then conspired with them to gain access to children in their care, sexually abuse them and produce photographs and videos depicting the abuse, according to the announcement.
McDougal and Balthazor also admitted conspiring with LaValley to abuse children to create the material.
LaValley admitted distributing the resulting images and videos to Clark, another woman with whom he had an intimate relationship.
Clark admitted receiving the material through online communications with LaValley in which they discussed sexually abusing children, prosecutors said.
LaValley, McDougal and Balthazor face mandatory minimum prison terms of 15 years and maximum terms of 30 years for the conspiracy charge.
The receipt and distribution charges to which Clark and LaValley pleaded guilty carry mandatory minimum terms of five years and maximum terms of 20 years.
Each charge also carries a possible fine of up to $250,000 and supervised release ranging from at least five years to life. A judge will determine the sentences under the applicable statutes, federal sentencing guidelines and other factors.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney John Sarcone III credited investigators with identifying and protecting multiple children and coordinating arrests across judicial districts.
Homeland Security Investigations and New York State Police investigated the case with assistance from the Vermont Attorney General’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian LaRochelle is prosecuting the case through Project Safe Childhood, a federal initiative that coordinates efforts to investigate child exploitation, prosecute offenders and identify and rescue victims.
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