Guilderland Man Pleads Guilty to Sexually Exploiting a Child

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Blake Spears, age 39, of Westmere, Town of Guilderland, New York, pled guilty today to sexual exploiting a child.

The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and Thomas F. Relford, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Spears admitted that on December 1, 2018, he used his phone to video-record himself masturbating while standing over a sleeping child. He also admitted to using a phone messaging application to distribute, to others, videos depicting the sexual abuse of other children.

Spears, who has been in custody since his arrest on February 15, 2019, faces at least 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, as well as a term of post-release supervision of at least 5 years and up to life, when United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino sentences him on December 1, 2020.  A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.

This case was investigated by the FBI and its Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, including the Colonie Police Department and New York State Police.   The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett.