Adams Center man sentenced to nearly 22 years in federal prison
James Yerdon of Adams Center was sentenced in federal court to 262 months in prison for receiving and possessing child pornography, followed by supervised release and other requirements.
By Jessica Hale, ClickNNY North Country Desk
A 56-year-old Adams man was sentenced in federal court to 262 months — nearly 22 years — in prison for receiving and possessing child pornography, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York.
The man pleaded guilty before sentencing, federal prosecutors said. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the New York State Police and prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a federal initiative addressing child sexual exploitation and abuse.
The sentence includes 20 years of supervised release after prison. He also must register as a sex offender and pay $26,000 in restitution, according to federal prosecutors.
Federal prosecutors said the man admitted downloading child pornography, including material depicting the sexual abuse of infants as young as 5 months old. He also admitted producing nude images of a 7-year-old child during a trip to the Albany area on May 13, 2025.
The federal case began after a May 2025 investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and State Police. The man pleaded guilty in federal court on May 7, 2026. He had previously been convicted in Jefferson County Court of promoting an obscene sexual performance by a child under 17 and received 10 years of state probation, which ended early in February 2007.
He also pleaded guilty in Albany County Court in August 2026 to first-degree course of sexual conduct against a child. A state sentencing hearing is scheduled for Dec. 11, 2026, before Judge Roger McDonough. The expected sentence is 20 years followed by 20 years of post-release supervision, although reports differ on the post-release terms. Jefferson County District Attorney Kristyna S. Kindlon has said the state sentence could run at the same time as the federal sentence.
The federal sentence was imposed Nov. 9, 2026. The case was handled in federal court in Syracuse, and the federal charges involved conduct tied to the Albany area. Sex-offender registration will be required after Yerdon’s release.
Reported by ClickNNY and reviewed by an editor before publication.
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