A 40-year-old Conesus man has pleaded guilty to producing and possessing child pornography, admitting he photographed and filmed himself sexually assaulting a child over a period of years. Donald Coty entered his plea this week, and prosecutors say the case has already upended a Livingston County family with deep ties to the local 4-H community.
According to Rochester First, Coty admitted to taking sexually explicit photos and videos of a child younger than 12 between January 2017 and March 2025. The outlet reports that the material also documented Coty sexually abusing the child, and that prosecutors said the files included images and videos he produced involving both the child and another minor. WHEC, however, has described the child in the case as 12 years old, a detail that conflicts with Rochester First's reporting and has not been resolved in available accounts.
The seed report from The Daily News likewise states that Coty admitted taking sexually explicit photographs and videos of a child under 12, and that he admitted photographing and filming himself sexually assaulting the child. Coty pleaded guilty to production and possession of child pornography on Monday in U.S. District Court in Rochester, according to The Daily News.
Conflicting Accounts of the Evidence Seized
The scale of material found in the investigation is described differently across reports. Rochester First states that more than 175,000 images and videos of child pornography were found on a USB hard drive in Coty's home, while The Daily News reports that a search of Coty's residence revealed more than 150,000 images and videos. Neither figure has been independently reconciled in the available record.
Rochester First says investigators searched Coty's Marrowback Road residence on June 23, 2026, and discovered the hard drive. The Daily News reports that investigators seized 13 electronic items during the search, including two hard drives, two laptops, six cellphones, one LG cellphone, and three USB drives.
How the Investigation Began
The investigation began after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a February tip reporting that a file containing suspected child pornography had been uploaded to a Google Photos and Google Drive account under the username “Don Coty.” The tip was forwarded to New York State Police, who traced the account to the Cotys.
The Daily News also reports that Donald Coty and his wife confessed during separate interviews with state police investigators, per a criminal complaint, and that Coty told investigators he had a problem viewing child pornography and needed help. His wife reportedly gave a state police investigator detailed accounts of repeated sexual assaults and, per the criminal complaint cited by The Daily News, admitted to sexually assaulting the children herself. She was charged with the same crimes as her husband, and her case remains pending, according to the outlet.
A Family Tied to Local 4-H Programs
Coty's wife had served as a Cornell Cooperative Extension 4-H volunteer since 2017, founded her own 4-H club, served on the 4-H board of directors, and was named the 2021 Livingston County 4-H Volunteer of the Year. Megan Coty resigned from her 4-H role on June 25, two days after the June 23 search.
Coty's wife is Megan Coty, age 38. That same Justice Department material states that Donald and his wife were arrested and charged by criminal complaint with production of child pornography, conspiracy to produce child pornography, and possession of child pornography — an announcement of charges, not a finding of guilt.
Sentencing Timeline
Coty faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in prison and is scheduled to be sentenced June 1, 2027.
