BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — A 37-year-old Salamanca man was arrested Thursday on several child pornography charges.
Robert Calkins was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with production, receipt, and possession of child pornography.
New York State Police opened an investigation into Calkins in April 2020 after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children reported him several times as the focus of “activity and material involving suspected child pornography,” according to the United States Attorney’s Office.
NYSP investigators found four cell phones and an SD card in Calkins’ E. Jefferson Street residence when they executed a search warrant in September 2020. Forensic analysis of the devices revealed thousands of images and videos of “suspected child pornography.”
The USAO said some of the images showed a minor female who the 37-year-old had been in contact with.
Sexually explicit Facebook Messenger conversations between Calkins and what is believed to be a 16-year-old minor female were also recovered.
The charges carry a minimum of 15 years in prison, lifetime supervised release and a $250,000 fine.