ALBANY, NEW YORK - Stephen Brisee, a/k/a Sage Brisee, age 29, of Albany, was arrested today for distributing child pornography.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Buffalo Field Office, made the announcement.
The charge filed against Brisee carries a prison term of at least 15 years and up to 40 years; a fine of up to $250,000; and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. 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.
United States Magistrate Judge Christian F. Hummel ordered Brisee detained pending a detention hearing scheduled to take place next week.
The complaint charges Brisee with distributing videos of adults subjecting girls between the ages of six months and 10 years to sexual penetration. At the time of the offense, Brisee was a registered sex offender on post-release supervision following a New York State conviction for promoting a sexual performance by a child.
The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
HSI is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Reiner is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys