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Court documents show couple accused of kidnapping Heuvelton Amish girls also produced child pornography

Posted 9/18/14

The couple charged with abducting two Heuvelton Amish girls were also charged in U.S. District Court with producing child pornography by exploiting three separate victims, according to court …

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Court documents show couple accused of kidnapping Heuvelton Amish girls also produced child pornography

Posted

The couple charged with abducting two Heuvelton Amish girls were also charged in U.S. District Court with producing child pornography by exploiting three separate victims, according to court documents.

Stephen M. Howells II, 39, and Nicole F. Vaisey, 25, both of Hermon, were charged today with conspiracy to sexually exploit children and sexual exploitation of children in U.S. District Court in Syracuse.

Each could face up to 30 years in prison if convicted. Howells could face additional 20 years for possessing child pornography.

The charges indicate that the pair had sexually exploited an unidentified third female child.

Documents show both Howells and Vaisey were charged with conspiracy to sexual exploit the two Amish girls take from Heuvelton.

Both were charged with producing pornography with the 12-year-old Amish female.

Howells and Vaisey were charged individually with producing pornography on or between 2012 through 2014 with a third victim who is approximately 8 years old.

Howells was additional charged with possession of child pornography.

The five-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury charged Howells and Vaisey with conspiracy to sexually exploit children involving two minor female victims and sexual exploitation of a child. Both were also charged with sexual exploitation of a third female child.

If found guilty, each defendant faces a statutory minimum of at least 15 years imprisonment and a maximum term of 30 years.

Howells faces a separate maximum term of 20 years imprisonment.

Both defendants may be fined up to $250,000 on each count of conviction.

Upon release from prison, they would be placed on supervised release for a mandatory minimum at least 5 years and up to life.

They would also be required to register as sex offenders.

Both are currently being held without out bail in St. Lawrence County jail on first-degree kidnapping charges.