HENRIETTA, N.Y. — A Henrietta man, who is a Level 2 sex offender, is facing federal charges after being accused of producing and having child pornography.
Thomas O’Brien, 65, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with the production and possession of child porn.
What happened?
According to federal prosecutors, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a CyberTip from Instagram in January about child porn being exchanged in a chat room called “Tom & You Gay,” and a file was uploaded to the chat by a user with O’Brien’s Instagram account “bom4bym.”
Prosecutors say the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant on files received by O’Brien and recovered an image and a video containing child pornography. Another search warrant on a different Instagram account registered to O’Brien recovered nude images of O’Brien and sexually suggestive images of minor boys.
More images found
In June, Homeland Security Investigators (HSI) at the Chicago O’Hare International Airport searched O’Brien’s laptop and two cell phones, and recovered nude images of minors.
Prosecutors say in September, HSI and the Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at O’Brien’s home in Henrietta and found hundreds of printed photos of nude minors.
O’Brien’s prior conviction
O’Brien is a level two registered sex offender in New York State following his 1991 conviction for sexual abuse. Prosecutors say O’Brien sexually abused a nine-year-old boy.
Sex offender registration requirements
As part of his requirements, O’Brien is required to submit a change of address forms to the Sheriff’s Office each time he moves to a new place, as well as information regarding his phone number, internet accounts, and online identifiers.
Prosecutors say O’Brien completed a change of address form in October 2025, changing his address from Henrietta to Vietnam. In June, prosecutors say he completed another form, changing his address from Vietnam back to Henrietta.
According to prosecutors, O’Brien has participated in a similar pattern of travel to Vietnam for several years.
Due to his prior conviction, O’Brien faces a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum of 40 years, a lifetime period of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
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