LAURENS — A 29-year-old Laurens man was arrested Oct. 1 on multiple felony charges related to possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material.
Toren R. Gray faces 196 total charges across two towns in Otsego County, according to the Otsego County Sheriff’s Office.
In the Town of Laurens, Gray is charged with four counts of obscenity in the first degree, 14 counts of possessing an obscene sexual performance by a child and 14 counts of possessing a sexual performance by a child.
In the Town of Otego, he faces 12 counts of obscenity in the first degree, 77 counts of possessing an obscene sexual performance by a child and 75 counts of possessing a sexual performance by a child.
The arrest followed an investigation that began in August when investigators received information from the Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce about child sexual abuse material being distributed from a Kik social media account.
Investigation revealed Gray possessed and sent child sexual abuse material to other users on Kik, according to the sheriff’s office.
During the investigation, authorities received four additional cyber tips connecting Gray to a total of five Kik accounts reported for sending and receiving child sexual abuse material.
Investigators obtained search warrants for Gray’s Kik accounts and located more than 300 images of child sexual abuse material.
Sheriff’s office investigators, New York State Police Computer Crimes Unit investigators and Homeland Security Investigations agents executed a search warrant at Gray’s residence Oct. 1.
Gray was transported to the sheriff’s office, processed and lodged in the Otsego County Correctional Facility to await centralized arraignment.
The investigation is ongoing and additional charges are pending.
Gray will appear in Town of Otego Court and Town of Laurens Court.
