Cameron McEwen has been sentenced to 210 months in prison for receiving sexually explicit photographs from a 16-year-old minor through a social media application. The sentencing was handed down by U.S. District Judge Philip M. Halpern. McEwen had previously been convicted in Orange County Court in January 2022 for rape in the second degree involving a person under fifteen years old.
According to court documents, McEwen used multiple Snapchat accounts in April 2023 to communicate with and coerce the victim into sending him explicit photographs. He threatened the victim’s friend with releasing her own explicit images and causing harm unless she persuaded another individual to provide more material. This led the friend to contact the victim, who then interacted with McEwen on Snapchat as he demanded further sexually explicit content. Authorities also reported that McEwen engaged in similar conduct with other victims.
U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton stated, “Child pornography is a scourge on our society. It leaves deep and lasting scars. It turns the stomach of every parent. Cameron McEwen met his victims via social media coercing them online to send him sexually explicit pictures and videos. Wherever predators lurk, including online, our Office will use every tool available to find and prosecute them.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia commented, “Cameron McEwen extorted a minor female victim with threats against her friends and family to force compliance with his perverted sexual demands. Not only did McEwen sexually exploit a teenage girl across the country, but he continued to seek additional victims for twisted gratification. May this sentencing emphasize the FBI’s commitment to protecting our vulnerable populations from sexual predators, regardless of where they may be located.”
In addition to his prison sentence, McEwen, 23, of Middletown, New York, received a lifetime term of supervised release.
The investigation involved agents from both Alaska and New York divisions of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), New York State Police Troop F, Middletown Police Department, and Ketchikan Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Wheelock handled the prosecution out of the White Plains Division.
Authorities encourage anyone with information about child exploitation cases to call 1-800-Call-FBI.
