Rome Man Pleads Guilty To Child Porn Charges

A Rome man has pleaded guilty to child pornography charges.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office says 56-year-old Michael Mayhew pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography and three counts of possession of child pornography.

Authorities say Mayhew admitted to conduct that took place over decades in his Rome home.

That included taking photos and videos of naked children under the age of 12 in December of 2018.

He further admitted that from 2010 to 2015 he downloaded numerous graphic video files of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct from the internet

He also admitted to possessing 184 images of child pornography on an electronic storage device in his home as well as the videos he took in 1993 and 1994 on two separate VHS tapes.

Mayhew faces five to 20 years in prison when he’s sentenced on March 9.

The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Oneida County Sherriff’s Office, Rome Police Department, Oneida County District Attorney’s Office, Oneida County Child Advocacy Center and New York State Police.

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11 Ways to Avoid Getting Ripped Off When Holiday Shopping Online

The world-wide shipping delays have shoppers buying holiday gifts early this year and much of the commerce is happening online. After all, how can you avoid the amazing deals? Now more than ever, these amazing deals are shady transactions that look authentic and safe.

One way to shop safely online is to buy from local vendor websites, or visit sites like Etsy which touts small meaningful gifts, often times created by small businesses and crafters.

The Better Business Bureau recommends online buyers do research before they click the checkout button.

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