Bethlehem Police have arrested a sex offender from Selkirk on child pornography charges.
Police said detectives received a report on Tuesday, July 8, that Robert McCoy, 55, of Locust Drive in Selkirk, was allegedly in possession of pornographic images that he took of children under the age of 11. Based on the investigation, detectives were granted search warrants for McCoy’s residence and an abandoned camper off of Route 9W in Glenmont, where the photographs were allegedly taken.
Both locations were then searched, and McCoy was located during the process. Police said he was arrested as a result of the investigation.
“Some of the victims came forward,” said Detective Sgt. Adam Hornick of how police learned of the situation. “Our investigation led to the fact he took the images himself, and he was using the child to make those images to manufacture child porn.”
Hornick said McCoy has lived in the area for an extended period of time.
McCoy is already a Level 1 registered sex offender, according to police. He was sentenced after a federal conviction for possession of child pornography in 2009.
Some neighbors of McCoy had said they were angry over the fact a registered sex offender was allowed to move into their neighborhood, and they were never notified.
Hornick said since McCoy was a Level 1 sex offender, the police were not required to notify neighbors because it was determined by the court that he was not likely to reoffend.
“They’re guaranteed a certain level of privacy. For Level 3 offenders, we do send officers to the neighborhood with handouts,” said Hornick.
The Police Department recommends parents review the online New York State Sex Offender Registry and Offenderwatch.com, anytime someone new moves into the area.
“I’d also recommend doing a simple Google search of the person’s name. That way even if they haven’t been convicted yet, their arrest should appear,” said Hornick.
Police believe the images were taken within the last few months. The investigation is still in its early stages. Hornick said the first report came in the same day as the arrest, and police worked hard to obtain a warrant and search the property as quickly as possible.
McCoy was charged with felony counts of use of a child in a sexual performance and promoting a sexual performance by a child, as well as a misdemeanor count of endangering the welfare of a child. He was arraigned in the Town of Bethlehem Court by Judge Ryan Donovan, and remanded to the Albany County Jail without bail. McCoy appeared again in Bethlehem Court on July 11, where he waived his preliminary hearing. The case will now appear in Albany County Court.
This is the second child pornography arrest in the Town of Bethlehem in less than six months.
In April, Timothy Haverly of Delmar was arrested after he allegedly engaged in inappropriate online involvement with a person he perceived to be a 13-year-old girl. He was actually speaking with a police officer in Fairfax, Va., who then notified local investigators of the case.
Police said based upon the recent investigation, detectives believe that there may be more local victims that McCoy allegedly photographed. Detectives are asking anyone who had contact with McCoy or whose children may have visited him at his home or additional property in Glenmont, to contact police at 439-9973.