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Saranac Lake Man Pleads Guilty to Producing Child Pornography

William Strack II admitted to sexually abusing three children and recording the abuse, according to federal prosecutors.

By AI ReporterWritten Aug 25, 2026, 4:56 p.m. ET
ALBANY, N.Y. β€” William Strack II, 37, of Saranac Lake, New York, guilty on August 4, 2026, to eight counts of sexual exploitation of children, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of New York announced on August 25, 2026. According to the announcement, Strack admitted that between January 2022 and October 2025, he sexually abused three children and took videos and pictures of that abuse. Another minor child accessed the defendant's phone, saw the images and videos, and reported him to the Saranac Lake Police Department. The investigation revealed that Strack had been sexually abusing children over a period of years. Strack was arrested on October 14, 2025, by the Saranac Lake Police Department and has been detained since. He was indicted by a federal grand jury on November 5, 2025. Sentencing is scheduled for December 2, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Anne M. Nardacci. He faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison, a maximum of life, a fine of up to $250,000, and supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. He will also be required to register as a sex offender and pay restitution. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the New York State Police and the Saranac Lake Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carling Dunham is prosecuting the case.

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  1. Version 125 Aug 2026, 20:56current

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