Man accused of possessing, promoting sexual performance by a child in Ulster County

KINGSTON - A North Arlington, N.J. man was arraigned in Ulster County Court on Friday on a 25-count indictment that included charges of possessing and promoting a sexual performance by a child.

The Ulster County District Attorney's office said the defendant, David Mulhauser, 42, was indicted on charges of promoting a sexual performance by a child less than 17 years old, possessing a sexual performance by a child, second-degree unlawful surveillance and criminal possession of a firearm, all felonies.

The district attorney's office said the indictment stems from a course of conduct during which Mulhauser allegedly downloaded child sexual abuse material between Aug. 15 and Oct. 26, 2022.

The original investigation was conducted by the Putnam County Sheriff's office, which referred the matter to the Department of Homeland Security.

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The department's investigators were able to determine that the content was linked to an IP address connected to a physical address in Gardiner in Ulster County, where Mulhauser was living at the time.

The Department of Homeland Security collaborated with the Ulster County Sheriff's office to execute a search warrant at the Gardiner address on Feb. 23, 2023.

At that address, the district attorney's office said, law enforcement officers recovered more than 170 surreptitiously recorded homemade videos of an intimate nature and 443 items of child sexual abuse material.

A full stay away order of protection for the victims identified through the investigation was requested and granted by the court at the arraignment.

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Also during the arraignment, the People requested that Mulhauser be sent to the Ulster County Jail in lieu of $100,000 cash bail, $250,000 bond or $350,000 partiallly secured bond, which was granted by Ulster County Court Judge Bryan Rounds.

Mulhauser faces up to 10 to 20 years in state prison if he is found guilty of all the charges, the district attorney's office said.

Mulhauser's attorney could not immediately be reached for comment.

Mike Randall covers breaking news for the Times Herald-Record and the Poughkeepsie Journal. Reach him at mrandall@th-record.com.