Kenmore Man Charged With Production And Possession Of Child Pornography

BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Daniel Rubel, 38, of Kenmore, NY, was arrested and charged by complaint with production and possession of child pornography. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan A. Tokash, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, a parent filed a report with the Town of Tonawanda Police Department, alleging that the defendant had been texting his daughter, who recently turned 16 years-old (Victim), and that some of the texts he observed were sexual in nature. The parent observed inappropriate images on his daughter’s cell phone within a text thread between the Victim and Rubel.

With the consent of the Victim’s father, a Town of Tonawanda Detective searched the cell phone and observed the text messages, some of which included sexual images.  According to the complaint, investigators also searched the defendant’s cell phone and recovered sexual images, including two videos, that were also found on the Victim’s cell phone, within the string of text messages between Ruble and the Victim.

The defendant made an initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and was released on conditions, to include home detention. 

The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Town of Tonawanda Police Department, under the direction of Chief James P. Stauffiger, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia.

The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.