A 38-year-old Mount Kisco man has been charged with sexually exploiting children after prosecutors say he posed online as an adult woman to solicit explicit images from minors. Dustin Tompkins was charged with two counts of sexual exploitation of a child, one count of receipt and distribution of child pornography, and one count of committing child sex offenses while registered as a sex offender.
The charges, announced by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, stem from an investigation into the allegations. The U.S. Attorney's Office also cited a prior conviction in announcing the charges.
U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald described the allegations in stark terms, saying in a statement shared on the US Attorney SDNY
social media account that “Dustin Tompkins represents every parent's greatest fear: an adult who allegedly used social media to gain access to children and exploit them for his own sexual gratification.”
A Hidden Phone Cracks the Case Open
Daily Voice reported on the new investigation and the allegations in the case.
Court documents cited by the U.S. Attorney's Office say that Tompkins created an encrypted group chat around January 24, 2026, through which he received files containing child pornography. The encrypted chat is described in the court documents as part of the case.
Alleged Grooming Tactics Detailed in Court Filings
According to federal court documents cited by Daily Voice, Tompkins allegedly used social media to gain access to children, directing a 13-year-old in October 2025 and a 16-year-old in December 2025 to send him sexually explicit images. The allegations concern his interactions with underage targets.
The U.S. Attorney's Office described the charges against Tompkins. The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York. The announcement identified a special agent with Homeland Security Investigations.
The Charges Against Tompkins
The statutory counts are listed by the U.S. Attorney's Office. The office identifies two child sexual exploitation counts and a separate count involving a child sex offense while registered as a sex offender, without detailing sentencing ranges or whether sentences would run consecutively.
The charges remain allegations at this stage. The U.S. Attorney's Office materials include an official appeal quote.
