Saratoga Springs man admits child porn charge

ALBANY — A Saratoga Springs man pleaded guilty Friday to receiving child porn through an encrypted messaging app on his phone, according to the U.S. Attorney in the Northern District of New York.

Benjamin J. Varieur, 33, formerly of Brunswick, admitted that in March he used the Wickr Me messaging app to receive child porn from another man, requesting and receiving dozens of images depicting the sexual abuse of children as young as 2 years old, attorneys said.

Varieur, detained since his arrest in April, faces at least five years and up to 20 years in prison, then supervised release of at least five years and up to life, when he is sentenced in January.

Varieur would also have to register as a sex offender upon his release.