In a revelation that adds another disturbing chapter to a history of criminal conduct, Richard LaPage of Potsdam, New York, has pled guilty to a set of serious charges involving child pornography, according to an announcement by Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Special Agent in Charge Erin Keegan of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). LaPage, 51, admitted to using social networking apps on his smartphone to distribute, receive, and possess the illicit material between December 2023 and October 2024; the files included over 150 child pornography images and videos discovered across four electronic devices.
The investigation, which brought to light LaPage's repeated offenses, noted that he was previously convicted on April 25, 2010, for an attempted criminal sexual act involving a minor under 13 years old, now, with his recent admission, Acting U.S. Attorney Sarcone underscored the gravity of the situation, saying, "The defendant, already a registered sex offender, again engaged in disgusting criminal conduct that revictimized the children whose abuse was depicted in the images he distributed, received, and possessed," as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of New York.
LaPage's prosecution is a part of the nationwide initiative Project Safe Childhood, which is aimed at combating the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, this detailed by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Special Agent Keegan highlighted the severity and persistence of LaPage's criminal activities, describing him as "a repeat child predator with a criminal history of targeting young children for his own abhorrent desires"; more information about the initiative can be found at the official Justice Department website dedicated to the program.
Set to face the consequences of his actions before Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes on January 9, 2026, LaPage is looking at a mandatory minimum term of 15 years in prison for the distribution and receipt charges, and 10 years for possession; atop of this, a term of supervised release ranging from 5 years to life, the forfeiture of property, payment of restitution to victims, and re-registration as a sex offender are all part of the statutory penalties LaPage could be imposed, with the exact parameters of his sentence to be grounded on the statutory violations, U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors as enforced by the presiding judge.
The case against LaPage was a collaborative effort involving HSI, the New York State Police Computer Crimes Unit, assistance from the Potsdam Police Department, St. Lawrence County Sheriff's Office and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Gillis.
