Justin Poon, of West Hempstead, pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of a child and possession of child pornography. Prosecutors said Poon, a registered sex offender in New York, targeted minors and young women over several years, coercing victims into providing explicit material and using threats to obtain additional images, videos, and money.
Federal authorities said the conduct occurred from at least December 2018 through Poon’s arrest in December 2023. According to court filings, investigators said Poon used deceptive tactics, including posing as Snapchat customer support, to gain access to victims’ private accounts and personal material. Prosecutors said he then threatened to distribute the material to victims’ friends and family if they did not comply with his demands.
Poon sold images on the internet after extorting his victims. Poon’s electronic devices and DropBox accounts showed he had materials from at least 50 different victims. Poon was previously convicted in 2021 of sexual misconduct with a 15 year-old victim.
If you believe you may have been a victim of the defendant, please contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation at https://forms.fbi.gov/victims/seeking-victim-information-in-justin-poon-investigation/view. This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Photo: https://www.criminaljustice.ny.gov/
