Patrick Carey allegedly posted and altered images of women taken when they were in high school and middle school on a pornographic website; encouraged users to harass and threaten women
MINEOLA, N.Y. – Acting Nassau County District Attorney Joyce A. Smith announced the indictment of a Seaford man on charges he shared sexually explicit images of more than a dozen underage women on a pornographic website, many of which were allegedly altered, and posted the women’s personal identifying information, encouraging the website’s users to harass and threaten them.
Patrick Carey, 20, of Seaford, was indicted by a grand jury on November 23, 2021 and arraigned today before Judge Robert Bogle on charges including two counts of promoting a sexual performance by a child (a D felony); possessing a sexual performance by a child (an E felony); aggravated harassment in the second degree as a hate crime (an E felony); stalking in the second degree (an E felony); ten counts of aggravated harassment in the second degree (an A misdemeanor); ten counts of stalking in the third degree (an A misdemeanor); three counts of harassment (a violation); and endangering the welfare of a child (an A misdemeanor). If convicted on the top charge, the defendant faces up to 14 years in prison. Bail was set at $50,000 bond, $25,000 cash, and $150,000 partially secured bond. The defendant is scheduled to return to court on January 4, 2022.
“This defendant allegedly manipulated the photos of more than a dozen women, taken when they were teenagers, and posted the ‘deepfake’ images online for strangers’ sexual gratification,” said Acting DA Smith. “His depravity deepened when he allegedly shared the victims’ personal identifying information – including their home addresses – encouraging site visitors to harass and threaten the women with sexual violence. If you believe you have been the victim of Patrick Carey, NCDA urges you to call our office at 516-571-2553.”
According to the indictment, from January 2021 through September 2021, Nassau County Police Department detectives from the Eighth Squad were contacted by approximately 11 women who had discovered images of themselves on a pornographic website. Many of the women indicated that the images, taken when the women were in high school and middle school, were re-posted on the website from their own social media platforms and altered to suggest the women were engaging in sexual conduct.
The images had been allegedly altered in what is otherwise known as a “deepfake” – convincingly superimposing the victim’s faces on other separate images of women engaging in sexual conduct. The posted images were also accompanied by personal identifying information, including full names, addresses and telephone numbers.
Separately, in November 2020, another woman reported to NCPD’s Special Victims Squad that she found a sexually explicit image of herself, taken when she was underage, on the same pornographic website.
Each of the women had attended MacArthur High School in Levittown and believed that the defendant was the individual who was altering and posting their images and contact information. Some reported to police that they had received notifications from social media that Carey had “screenshotted” some of the images that appeared altered on the website from their social media accounts.
The investigation determined that the majority of posts containing images of the victims allegedly came from three distinct usernames. These accounts actively posted the images of the victims from approximately August 2019 until approximately September 2021, mere hours before the defendant’s arrest, including posting the “deepfaked” images of teenagers engaging in sexual conduct with their personal information. The user also encouraged other users to harass the victims, including sending them lurid images and videos and sexual threats.
After executing nearly two dozen search warrants on Carey’s cell phone, tablets, and other social media and web accounts, the investigation revealed Carey was in possession of several images of the victims and had allegedly shared them to social media and on the pornographic website.
Carey was arrested on September 5, 2021 by detectives of the NCPD’s Eighth Squad.
NCDA would like to thank the Nassau County Police Department’s Special Victims Squad and Eighth Squad for their assistance and cooperation in this investigation and prosecution.
Senior Investigative Counsel Melissa Scannell and Senior Assistant District Attorney Kelsey Lorer of NCDA’s Rackets and Enterprise Bureau is prosecuting the case. The defendant is represented by the Legal Aid Society.
If you believe you have been the victim of Patrick Carey, contact our office at 516-571-2553.
The charges are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless found guilty.
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