Former Westchester Music Teacher Charged with Child Pornography Possession

A former Rippowam Cisqua and Harvey School music teacher was charged in federal court Friday with possessing child pornography.

Nicholas Szucs of Somers voluntarily surrendered at the White Plains federal courthouse and appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith C. McCarthy, according to a release from Preet Bharara, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York.

Szucs had been arrested in April 2015 on felony child pornography charges and was released without bail.

He is charged with one count each of transporting and of receiving child pornography, each of which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

Szucs is also charged with one count of possessing child pornography, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

Each of the three counts also carries a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.

Bharara said the allegations were particularly disturbing and sad.

“A private violin teacher, who works with children, stands accused of allegedly victimizing children,” he said. “Thanks to the efforts of the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations, Szucs’ alleged illicit conduct was brought to light, and he will now have to answer to these serious charges.”

From the complaint:

From at least 2012 to 2015, Szucs possessed, transported and received images and videos containing child pornography. According to the Complaint, Szucs used a peer-to-peer file sharing network to download child pornography. Searches of an external hard drive and a laptop belonging to Szucs revealed hundreds of images and videos of child pornography. Szucs also attempted to have the laptop destroyed before law enforcement could seize it.

HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at 1-866-DHS-2ICE. Investigators staff this hotline around the clock. Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may also be reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, at 1-800-843-5678 or http://www.cybertipline.com.

Photo: Nicholas Szucs via LinkedIn.com