SYRACUSE -- The couple charged with kidnapping two Amish girls from Heuvelton in August today was indicted on additional charges for allegedly abusing six different child victims .

The superseding indictment, filed today by a federal grand jury, accuses Stephen M. Howells II with child exploitation offenses in all 21 counts, and charges him together with Nicole F. Vaisey in 10 of the counts.

The indictment specifies six different victims, according to U.S. Atty. Richard S. Harunian. In September, when the couple was first charged with conspiracy to sexually exploit children and sexual exploitation of children, officials said they had exploited three children.

“As the lead county law enforcement agency in this case, we appreciate the teamwork in discovering and identifying these additional victims,” said St. Lawrence County Sheriff Kevin Wells. “The interagency cooperation in this investigation has been invaluable. We will continue our efforts and work with our law enforcement partners to ensure that these defendants are brought to justice for any crimes they have committed.”

Howells, 39, and Vaisey, 25, both of Hermon, are charged with one count of conspiracy to sexually exploit children between September 2013 and August 2014. They are also charged together with nine counts of exploiting three of the children during that time period. The nine counts represent nine separate dates on which the exploitation occurred, court officials said.

In addition, Howells is charged alone in six additional substantive counts for the exploitation of four children on six additional dates.

The final five counts of the superseding indictment charge Howells with possession of child pornography on each of five separate hard drives recovered from his residence, court officials said.

Officials say the images and video files on the drives allegedly involved images of prepubescent minors and minors under the age of 12. The images and videos charged in the counts are separate and apart from those charged in the first 16 counts of the superseding indictment.

“The St. Lawrence County District Attorney’s Office is pleased our federal partners in prosecution are vigilantly pursuing charges which provide greater penalties than those New York law affords,” said St. Lawrence County District Attorney Mary E. Rain. “From the beginning of this case, our Federal partners have bestowed upon our community their expertise, experience, and vast resources for which we are much appreciative.”

Howells and Vaisey face imprisonment of at least 15 years, and up to 30 years on the conspiracy charge, and on each of the substantive exploitation counts, officials said.

Howells also faces a maximum sentence of 20 years on each of the possession counts. Conviction on any count requires a term of supervised release of a minimum of five years and up to life to follow any term of incarceration. In addition, conviction on any count of the superseding indictment will require Howells and Vaisey to register as sex offenders.

Howells and Vaisey were first charged with one count each of first-degree kidnapping after taken into custody for kidnapping the Amish girls in August.

“Sexual exploitation of minors is the most depraved, predatory abuse of our children,” said Hartunian. “We will continue our efforts to make certain that every offense these defendants have committed is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Our goal is that they will never be near children again.”

“This case epitomizes law enforcement's ability to keep our children safe when federal, state, and local agencies work together,” said Special Agent in Charge Andrew W. Vale of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Albany Division. “The FBI will continue to work with our law-enforcement partners to identify any additional crimes committed by these defendants.”

This case is being investigated by the St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office, FBI and the St. Lawrence County District Attorney’s Office, with substantial assistance from State Police.

View earlier stories at http://northcountrynow.com/news/sheriff-says-hermon-couple -charged-amish-kidnapping-may-face-federal-charges-arrest-prevented-a and http://northcountrynow.com/news/hermon-couple-accused-kidnapping-sexually-exploiting-heuvelton-amish-girls-face-federal-charges