A Steuben County man has been arrested following a yearlong child exploitation investigation by New York State Police.
Troopers say 53-year-old Gerald Makin Jr., of Corning, was taken into custody last Friday, after an investigation by the SP Painted Post Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Troop E Computer Crimes Unit, and the Troop E Forensic Investigation Unit. The case began with a referral from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Police executed a search warrant at 20 East Fourth Street in Corning in September 2024, where investigators seized multiple electronic devices. Forensic analysis revealed what appeared to be child sexual abuse material.
Makin is charged with promoting a sexual performance by a child, a Class D felony, and possessing a sexual performance by a child, a Class E felony.
He was transported to the Steuben County Jail for arraignment.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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