ITHACA, N.Y. — A former Ithaca College student pleaded guilty to possessing thousands of images and hundreds of videos of child pornography.
Nicholas Feminella, 21, pleaded guilty to transportation of child pornography and possession of child pornography. He could face up to 20 years of imprisonment on each count. There is a mandatory minimum of five years on each count.
As part of his plea agreement, Feminella admitted to transporting videos of child pornography by uploading them from his computer to a Dropbox account. In November 2015, investigators searched Feminella’s residence and recovered 13,000 images and 870 videos of child pornography, court records state.
Feminella’s last address was listed in Danby.
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Feminella told investigators the children in videos he uploaded were about 8 years old and also said he had been watching child pornography for years, records state.
Feminella is a former Ithaca College student. Dave Maley, senior associate director of media and community relations, said Feminella has not been a student at the college since Spring 2016. According to a LinkedIn account, Feminella studied communication management and design and would have graduated in 2017.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New York State Police-Computer Crime Unit and New York State Police Troop C.
The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood, launched in May 2006. The project uses federal, state and local resources to apprehend individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims.
Feminella pleaded guilty before Senior U.S. District Judge Thomas McAvoy. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Geoffrey J.L. Brown.
Feminella’s sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 11 in Albany.
Featured image: Nicholas Feminella, provided by New York State Police