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Tyreik Blackmon, age 30, formerly of Schenectady, pleaded guilty to child sex crimes in Schenectady County Court on Tuesday, Nov. 26.
Prosecutors said Blackmon, who also goes by “Elise,” admitted to sending a sexually explicit video and photo of a child to another person via an online dating app in November 2023.
Investigators got involved after a good Samaritan contacted law enforcement saying he had met another user of the dating app who, during a conversation about possibly meeting for a date, sent him the illicit material.
The Schenectady Police Department’s Youth Aid Bureau, in partnership with the FBI, determined that Blackmon had sent the material, in part by connecting his screen name and IP address.
A search of his residence turned up numerous electronic devices, including a cell phone that was found to have additional images of child exploitation, prosecutors said.
Investigators worked with Child Protective Services and local school districts to identify and locate the victim who was depicted in the images shared by Blackmon.
“This horrible exploitation of a young child was extensively investigated by members of several law enforcement agencies working together to identify both the child and the preparator,” said Schenectady County DA Robert Carney.
“All of the agencies dedicated these resources in this case and because they did, we were able to protect this child, end the exploitation, and punish the perpetrator. I applaud their collective efforts.”
In court Tuesday, Blackmon pleaded guilty to two counts of promoting a sexual performance by a child as a sexually motivated felony. He is expected to be sentenced to seven years on each count, to be served concurrently. He must also register as a sex offender.
Carney’s office said there was insufficient evidence to identify and prosecute the individual who was engaged in sexual activity with the child in the video.
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