Yates DA announces sex trafficking arrest | News

PENN YAN — An Alabama man accused of coercing a Yates County girl into sexual activity faces numerous criminal charges following an investigation that began in April.

In a press release sent to media outlets Friday, County Attorney Todd Casella said Austin G. Pace, 25, of Cullman, Alabama, was arraigned Thursday in county court following of a 19-count grand jury indictment. Charges include sex trafficking of a child, enticement of a person under the age of 15 into prostitution, coercion of a person under the age of 18, coercion, use of a child under 17 in a sexual performance, promotion of sexual performances by a child under 17 and obscenity. .

Casella said the county sheriff's office began investigating Pace with help from the New York State Police Computer Crimes Unit, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the bureau Cullman County Sheriff's Office in Alabama. That investigation culminated in a May 9 presentation before a grand jury by Casella and First Assistant District Attorney Alicia Slate.

On May 15, Cullman County Sheriff's investigators assisted the Alabama State Bureau of Homeland Security Investigations in executing a search warrant for Pace's residence. This came after cyber tips linking him to child pornography in the Yates County investigation. Alabama law enforcement confiscated several electronic devices.

Pace was charged on a Yates County Superior Court warrant and extradited to New York on Wednesday. He was arraigned before County Judge Mackenzie “Mac” Stutzman, who remanded Pace to the county jail in lieu of $50,000 bail, $100,000 bond or surety partially guaranteed for $200,000.

Pace is due back in court June 11. Casella said if convicted, Pace faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison and up to 20 years of supervised release, but he also faces a consecutive sentence for the charges.

Pace allegedly used social media and online chat applications to communicate with an underage female in Yates County and initiate a sexual relationship online. He is accused of using force or intimidation to direct her to engage in sexual activity and create child pornography on a daily basis for his own sexual gratification.

Casella added that Pace used more than a dozen social apps to exploit the miner. During the investigation, Casella said several electronic devices were seized, as well as content from social media accounts containing videos and images.

“Parents should be aware of the potential abuse and exploitation of their children through social media apps, chat rooms, online games, dating apps and should communicate with their children about the dangers,” Casella said. “Monitoring the online activity of minors is strongly encouraged.”