How Police Tracked Down a Man They Say Downloaded and Spread Child Porn

SOUTHOLD, NY - After a Southold man was caught Wednesday and charged with possession of child pornography, law enforcement authorities described the long and exhaustive process of how an alleged offender is tracked down.

Trent Stack, 44, of 100 Summer Lane was arrested at 6:30 a.m. Wednesday and charged with one count of possessing a sexual performance by a child, a felony, police said.

According to Detective Sergeant John Best of the Suffolk County Computer Crimes Unit, law enforcement tools were utilized to nab Stack.

In order to locate an individual possessing child pornography, Best said authorities monitor "known" child porn images on files, such as torrents, that are downloaded and spread on the internet via various peer to peer file sharing services. Such downloading services, Best said, are "a haven" for those downloading child porn, because unlike most social media sites, they are not monitored by federal law.

The investigation involving Stack had gone on for "close to a year", Best said. Authorities had captured some of what he'd downloaded, and then determined an IP address to find his location. Once the IP address is determined, the "challenge" lies in tracking down where the images are being downloaded regionally, because the internet is worldwide, he said.

Next, a search warrant needed to be obtained. Once the arrest is made, Best said, authorities can seize an alleged offenders electronic devices, such as a phone, tablet or laptop, to continue forensics on those devices.

Stack saw his bail set at $10,000 cash and $15,000 bond on Wednesday.

At his arraignment in Southold Town Justice Court, Stack, 44, who did not have an attorney, was represented by Emily Miller of the legal aid department. Stack appeared before Southold Justice Brian Hughes, while his father and aunt sat in the courtroom.

Miller began by asking that Stack be released on his own recognizance, stating that he has lived at his Summer Lane address, which he rents from his father, for more than 20 years, always paying his rent on time. He has also worked for his father in the family business, Sure Action Inc. in Hampton Bays, for more than 20 years, she said, never missing a day of work.

"He is not a flight risk," she said.

Miller said Stack graduated from Westhampton Beach High School and attended Drexel University for one year; he has no criminal record, she said, entering a plea of not guilty, and also demanding a felony examination. He qualified for legal aid based on his salary, she said.

Suffolk County Assistant District Attorney Robert Archer said Stack had been found in possession of a video featuring a "sexual performance by a girl, who, by his own admission, appeared to be 10 years old."

In addition, Archer said he expects several similar counts to be revealed, with Stack facing additional charges involving other child pornography in his possession. The case is set to go before a grand jury, he said.

He asked that bail be set at $100,000.

Judge Hughes said he'd like to see an interview with legal aid, and set bail at $10,000 cash and $15,000 bond.

Stack's father at first said he needed some time but then asked if he could pay with a credit card.

Suffolk County Police, with assistance from members of the Southold Town Police Department and the Federal Long Island Exploited Children’s Task Force, worked together on the arrest, authorities said.

Southold Town Police Chief Martin Flatley said the case was generated by the Suffolk County Police Department's computer crimes unit. "They advised us of the investigation and we assisted in this morning’s execution of a search warrant and arrest," he said.

As part of a continuing investigation into distribution of child pornography over the internet, the detectives executed a search warrant, police said.

Neighbors reacted with shock to the news. A grandmother who was watching a little boy, 4, and a little girl, one and half, in a yard nearby said she had no idea. "It makes me nervous," she said.

Stack is due back in Southold Town Justice Court Monday.