Four Defendants From New York and Vermont Plead Guilty in Child Exploitation Case

By Tiffany Williams –

orangewhiteboldcreativeportfoliopresentation_20251018_045258_0000856231738213953848 Four Defendants From New York and Vermont Plead Guilty in Child Exploitation Case

Four defendants pleaded guilty in a multijurisdictional child exploitation conspiracy, federal prosecutors announced Friday. The case includes Devin LaValley, 38, of Burlington, New York; Melissa McDougal, 30, of Pulaski; Grace Balthazor, 34, of Elmira; and Roxanne Clark, 45, of Bristol, Vermont.

LaValley, McDougal and Balthazor admitted conspiring to abuse children and produce images and videos of that abuse. Clark admitted receiving material produced in the conspiracy.

The conspiracy charges carry prison terms ranging from 15 to 30 years, while the receipt and distribution offenses carry terms of five to 20 years. Sentences will be determined by the court.

Homeland Security Investigations and New York State Police investigated with assistance from the Vermont attorney general’s office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian LaRochelle is prosecuting.