Federal Bureau of Investigation - Buffalo Field Division - Department of Justice Press Release

Lancaster PD Identifies Child Pornographer

Laurie J. Bennett, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Buffalo Field Office, Gary Stoldt, Chief of Police, Lancaster, New York Police Department and H. McCarthy Gipson, Commissioner, Buffalo, New York, Police Department announce the arrest of Christopher P. Marandola, a 42 year old resident of Lancaster, New York.

Marandola was arraigned before United States Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder, Jr., Thursday, March 27, 2008, and detained without bail pending a formal detention hearing at 2pm, Friday, March 28, 2008. Marandola was charged federally with violating Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252A, possession of child pornography which carries a 10 year maximum prison sentence upon conviction. Marandola was arrested without incident.

Marandola is charged with possessing sexually explicit images of children. Marandola's illegal activities were uncovered by the Lancaster, New York, Police Department which brought this activity to the attention of the FBI Buffalo Cyber Task Force. A forensic examination of Marandola's computer, performed by the Western New York Regional Computer Forensic Laboratory (WNY-RCFL), found evidence to corroborate this charge.

This matter will be prosecuted under the direction of Terrence P. Flynn, United States Attorney, Western District of New York. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

The FBI's Buffalo Cyber Task Force (BCTF) is a made up of Federal, State, and Local law enforcement agencies and addresses all types of cyber crime. BCTF members target cyber criminals utilizing highly sophisticated undercover techniques developed by the FBI.