BERLIN, NY. – Sergeant Shane Holcomb prepares his team to bust a home for child pornography in the parking lot at Stewarts, located in the Town of Berlin.
The team consists of five undercover agents, along with Sgt. Holcomb and Officer Sal Greco. Greco is a member of the FBI's Cyber Predator Taskforce.
"Sal and I are going to go up and knock if you guys just want to stay behind. If we have a problem going on then come up," Holcomb said.
Over the past two months the team, with help from the FBI, has been tracking illegal downloads onto "someone's" computer, now they're going to find out who that person is.
"Here's an affidavit for a search warrant application," Holcomb shows NEWS10 ABC's Christine O'Donnell. The Sheriff's Office allowed a news crew to come along if they stayed a safe distance away from the home during the bust.
"The information that we have right now is that at least 18 photographs have been uploaded by investigators from the IP address located at the address we're going," Holcomb said.
"Let's do this," Greco said walking towards the vehicle.
The team files into a variety of cars and start heading towards the home.
"You never know who's going to be on the other side of the door, we have to be prepared for a worst case scenario," Holcomb said.
The short drive brings us to a Plank Road residence, officers surround the property.
Over the next hour several laptops and discs are confiscated, then an arrest is made.
Holcomb tells us Michelle Syler admitted the laptops were hers. We caught up to her during her arraignment at Grafton Town Court.
When asked for a comment. Syler replied "No." Then when asked if she ever though she'd be in this situation she said no. "I never thought of it," Syler said.
Syler has no criminal history besides the charge she just received: Possession of Obscene Performance of a Child.
Rensselaer County Sheriff Jack Mahar calls the problem an "epidemic."
"Most of the individuals, it's not their first offense it's the first time they've got caught," Mahar said.
"Everyday we're out we're out there looking," Mahar said. "The best message is don't do it, because eventually you are going to get caught and the penalties are very severe."
Do you have a comment about what's happening?" NEWS10's Christine O'Donnell asks Syler.
"Scary," Syler said.
Syler is currently in the Rensselaer County Jail on $20,000 bond. The District Attorney Rich McNally says there's a possibility she could face federal charges.
NEWS10 ABC
