PLATTSBURGH — An Essex County man who pleaded guilty to sexually exploiting two children and possessing child pornography now faces 15 to 80 years in prison.

U.S. Attorney Carla B. Freedman announced Wednesday that Logan M. LaFountain, 27, admitted to sexually abusing two girls between the ages of six and eight in 2021 and 2022. LaFountain also admitted to using his phone to photograph the victims’ genitals and possessing sexually explicit images of prepubescent children.

LaFountain’s sentencing is scheduled for June 13. He faces 15 to 80 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 and a term of supervised release of 5 years to life. He will have to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison. The judge may also order LaFountain to pay restitution to his victims.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Kopita. State Police Troop B and the Buffalo field office of Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case.

LaFountain was previously convicted of two counts of first-degree sexual abuse and one count of first-degree criminal sexual acts against three children in Essex County this past October. Personal details about the victims have been kept private. However, District Attorney Kristy Sprague’s office said that they are all female and between the ages of 5 and 12.

He pleaded guilty in Essex County Court this past August and was sentenced to a 30-year determinate sentence with the New York state Department of Corrections and a post-release supervision period of 40 years. A determinate sentence is a sentence that has a definite length. It cannot come under review or be changed by a parole board or other entity empowered to shorten prison sentences. Other plea agreement requirements include orders of protection for the three victims, a crime victim assistance fee, a DNA sample, sex offender registration and a supplemental offender victim’s fee.

LaFountain was charged with the federal offenses separately around the time he was charged in Essex County, according to Assistant District Attorney Carrie Daly.

“The federal prosecution is holding (LaFountain) responsible for producing child pornography and it also includes at least one child abuse victim not covered in the state prosecution,” said Michael Barnett, public information officer for the U.S. Attorney’s northern district of New York office.

The federal crimes were committed in both Essex and Clinton counties, according to Barnett. LaFountain lived in both counties before his arrest. Previously of Cadyville, LaFountain was listed as a member of the Cadyville Volunteer Fire Department starting around 2014. The last post on the department’s Facebook page featuring LaFountain was in January 2021.

State Police charged LaFountain with sex abuse in the first degree with a victim under the age of 13 on Nov. 28, 2022. Troopers had started an investigation two days prior, on Nov. 26, for a sex offense case involving LaFountain. At the time of his arrest, State Police alleged that he was having sexual contact with a child under the age of 13. It is not clear which victim came forward to State Police first.

He was arrested and transported to State Police headquarters in Lewis for processing, then held at the Essex County Jail to await arraignment. Investigators said in a Dec. 1, 2022 press release that they believed LaFountain had additional victims and asked anybody with information to contact State Police. It is not clear if the other two Essex County victims or the victims in the federal case came forward following this call from State Police.