Sullivan County Man Arrested for Child Exploitation Charges

GRAHAMSVILLE, N.Y. — A Sullivan County man has been arrested on child sexual exploitation charges following a multi-agency investigation that began last year, New York State Police said.

Troop F Computer Crimes Unit, working with the Troop F Child Abuse Unit, the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the FBI Hudson Valley Safe Streets Task Force, the State Police in Liberty and a State Police Electronic Detection K-9, arrested Shawn W. Edwards, 32, of Grahamsville.

Edwards is charged with four counts of promoting an obscene sexual performance by a child less than 17 years old, a class D felony; disseminating indecent material to a minor in the second degree via computer communication, a class E felony; and falsely reporting a fire, explosion or hazardous substance in the second degree, a class E felony.

According to State Police, the investigation began in October 2025 after a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Investigators later executed a search warrant at Edwards’ residence in Grahamsville on May 8, 2026.

Authorities allege Edwards disseminated sexually explicit material to a minor and, on other occasions, promoted such material. He is also accused of falsely reporting a crime that did not occur.

Edwards was arrested without incident and transported to the State Police barracks in Liberty. He was arraigned in Town of Liberty Court and remanded to the Sullivan County Jail. Bail was set at $10,000 cash, $20,000 bond and $40,000 partially secured bond. He is scheduled to appear in Town of Neversink Court on May 18, 2026.

State Police said the investigation remains ongoing.

Assisting agencies included the State Police Special Operations Response Team, Troop F Community Stabilization Unit and the Bureau of Criminal Investigation in Liberty.