A 72-year-old Amsterdam man is facing two criminal charges after police say he believed he was exchanging inappropriate online messages with a girl under 18 — but the person on the other end of the conversation was actually a law enforcement source. Harry Miles was charged with first-degree and second-degree disseminating indecent material to minors following the discovery, according to investigators.
The case began on September 23, when members of the Amsterdam Police Department received a tip about inappropriate online conversations involving Miles and a person believed to be under 18, as reported by WRGB. Investigators say Miles believed he was communicating with a girl under 18, but the other party was actually a law enforcement source. Authorities reviewed the messages before moving forward with the arrest, the station reported.
Charges and Court Process
Miles was processed by the Amsterdam Police Department and released on an appearance ticket rather than held in custody, per the same account. WRGB reported on October 14, 2026, that Miles was scheduled to reappear in Amsterdam City Court on October 6, 2026, a date that had passed by October 15. Under New York law, disseminating indecent material to minors in the first degree is classified as a class D felony, according to the New York State Senate. Amsterdam City Court itself generally handles misdemeanors and lesser offenses while arraigning defendants accused of felonies, according to New York Courts.
Investigation Remains Active
Police said the Amsterdam Police Department was assisted in the case by the Office of Montgomery County District Attorney Christina Pearson. The investigation remains ongoing, and police said additional charges and arrests are possible as the case develops.
Part of a Rising Wave of Reports
Cases like this one are unfolding against a broader surge in reports of online enticement nationwide. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children's CyberTipline received 1.4 million reports concerning online enticement in 2025, a 158% jump from the year before, according to missingkids.org. The organization also reported a 323% increase in child sex trafficking reports and an average of 137 financial sextortion reports per day, a 37% rise over the prior year.
No further details about the content of the messages exchanged in the Amsterdam case, or about any response from Miles or an attorney representing him, have been made public.
