Computer Crime Unit
Press Releases
Erie County Sheriff’s Office
10 Delaware Avenue
Buffalo, NY 14202
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Friday, May 18, 2001
Contact: Chief Scott R. Patronik
(716) 858-6889
Erie County Sheriff’s Office Announces Arrest of a Lancaster Man For Child Exploitation
The Erie County Sheriff’s Office announces the arrest of a Lancaster man for 1st degree Rape (class B Felony),
1st Degree Sodomy (class B felony), Promoting a sexual performance by a child (class D Felony),
Possessing a sexual performance by a child (class E Felony), and Endangering the Welfare of a Child,
(class A misdemeanor). William D. Sonier, 41 years old, of Ransom Rd in Lancaster, NY is to be arraigned
in Cheektowaga Town Court for allegedly using the Internet to communicate with other individuals interested
in setting up meetings with children where they would be shared or exchanged and sexually exploited.
This investigation led to the arrest of Sonier for allegedly producing child pornography and sexually
exploiting an 11 year old child.
The Erie County Sheriff's Office Computer Crime Unit began an intensive investigation after a Grand Island
resident notified the Sheriff's Office that an individual was in a "chat-room" trying to find other individuals
that would be interested in the sharing of children for sexual purposes. The Erie County Sheriff's Office,
a member of the federal task force for Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC), had detectives go online
where they conducted an undercover investigation. Sheriff's Office personnel subsequently identified the
suspect as Sonier. A search warrant was executed at Sonier's residence in Lancaster by members
of the ICAC Task Force including the Erie County Sheriff's Office, New York State Attorney General's
Office, along with assistance from US Customs. Child pornography, believed to have been produced
by Sonier, was found at his residence during the search.
A follow-up investigation conducted by the Sheriff's Office Family Offense Unit, identified an 11-year-old
Cheektowaga girl that alleges she was raped and sodomized by Sonier dozens of times over a six-year
period from 1994 to 2000.
"This is a good example of how technical expertise along with traditional methods of investigating
child exploitation have merged to protect our children from today's child predators. The Sheriff's Office
is committed to continuing it's effort's to combat this repulsive behavior", says Sheriff Patrick Gallivan.
If anyone has any further information concerning similar activities by William Sonier, they should
contact the Erie County Sheriff's Office Family Offense Unit at (716) 858-6102.
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