'A profound betrayal of trust.' NYSP sergeant charged by feds with child exploitation
Federal complaint alleges Troop F Sgt. Steven Calderon secretly recorded two children in the bathroom of his Crawford home and possessed thousands of sexually explicit images and videos involving minors.
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A New York State Police sergeant previously arrested in an Orange County domestic violence case is now facing federal charges for allegedly sexually exploiting two children and possessing thousands of sexually explicit images and videos involving minors.
Steven P. Calderon, 43, of Crawford, was arrested Thursday and appeared in federal court in White Plains, where he was ordered held in custody.
According to a six-page federal complaint, the investigation began after a woman reported that Calderon, a Troop F sergeant, physically assaulted her at his home in October, allegedly breaking a bone around her eye.
State Police searched Calderon’s residence on October 25 in connection with the assault investigation and seized approximately 30 electronic devices, including surveillance cameras, recording equipment, computers and cellphones.
What authorities allegedly discovered led to a disturbing new investigation.
Federal prosecutors say one cellphone was found on a stand in Calderon’s bathroom with its camera facing the shower. The device was equipped with a motion-activated recording application capable of secretly recording video. According to the complaint, prosecutors allege Calderon secretly recorded two children in his bathroom in separate incidents.
In July 2026, he allegedly recorded a child undressing and edited the footage to create a sexually explicit clip. Prosecutors say he also recorded a nine-year-old child in February 2023 and created a sexually explicit image from that recording.
The federal complaint says investigators also discovered at least 2,000 sexually explicit images and videos of children on Calderon’s devices. Approximately 1,200 of those files matched material involving children previously identified by law enforcement.
According to the complaint, among the recovered material were a video depicting the sexual abuse of an infant and images involving bestiality and children.
U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald condemned the allegations, calling them “a profound betrayal of the public trust and the oath he swore to uphold.”
The new federal charges follow Calderon’s October 25 arrest in Crawford, where he was charged with second- and third-degree assault in connection with an alleged domestic violence incident involving a former intimate partner.
He was initially released without bail, and an order of protection was issued for the woman.
Calderon has been a member of the New York State Police since 2017 and was promoted to sergeant in 2022. He was assigned to the Middletown barracks and was immediately suspended without pay following his initial arrest.
In response to News 12’s request for additional comment, State Police referred to a statement from Superintendent Steven G. James included in the federal announcement.
“The allegations against Sergeant Calderon are deeply disturbing and stand in direct opposition to the oath every member of the New York State Police takes to protect and serve,” James said.
Calderon faces two federal counts of sexual exploitation of a child, each carrying a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in prison if convicted. He also faces a charge of possessing child sexual abuse material, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years.
Federal authorities say there may be additional victims and are asking anyone with information to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or https://tips.fbi.gov.
