A Commack man is facing 15 felony counts after New York State Police investigators say they found him in possession of child sexual abuse material, and the case also turned up an outstanding warrant for him out of Pennsylvania. Brian K. McCort was taken into custody on October 15, and he has since pleaded not guilty in court.
McCort was charged with 15 counts of possessing a sexual performance by a child, a class E felony, according to Patch. As Newport Dispatch reports, McCort was taken into custody by the New York State Police Troop L Bureau of Criminal Investigation. Sources differ on McCort's exact age at the time of arrest: Daily Voice reported he was 31, while Patch listed him as 30.
Multiple Units Pooled Resources On The Case
The investigation drew on several specialized State Police units working together. Investigators included the Computer Crime Unit, the Community Stabilization Unit and the Forensic Investigation Unit, which pooled their efforts, according to Greater Long Island. That reporting also states that investigators discovered McCort had an active warrant out of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, though it's not clear from available records what that warrant was for or how it will be resolved.
New York State Police is encouraging parents or guardians who believe their child may have received inappropriate communications from McCort to contact police at 631-756-3300, per Newport Dispatch's reporting.
Arraignment And Next Court Date
McCort pleaded not guilty Thursday in Suffolk First District Court in Central Islip to the 15 felony counts, the same outlet notes. He remained in Suffolk County jail following his arraignment, with his next court appearance scheduled for November 18.
Under New York Penal Law § 263.16, a person is guilty of possessing a sexual performance by a child when they possess or control, or knowingly access with intent to view, a performance that includes sexual conduct by a child younger than 16 — a definition that includes material created or altered through digitization, according to the New York State Senate.
Part Of A Wider Pattern Across New York
McCort's arrest comes amid a string of similar cases across the state this month. In Cohoes, 32-year-old Cody A. Ashline was charged with possessing a sexual performance by a child after State Police said a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children led them to search his home on October 22, as reported by Daily Voice. Ashline was processed at a State Police barracks in Latham and released with an appearance ticket for Cohoes City Court on November 5.
The pace of these cases tracks with a broader rise in tips flowing to investigators. New York State Police's Computer Crimes Task Force received more than 22,000 CyberTips in 2023 and supported more than 4,000 subpoena requests, with the number of CyberTips received rising nearly 50% over the prior two years, according to troopers.ny.gov. In a separate operation this past August, State Police arrested eight individuals attempting to engage in unlawful contact with children under 15, the agency said.
