MASSENA -- Two Massena residents are facing federal charges for sexually exploiting minors.

Stacey J. LaPorte Jr., 26, and Mackenzie Bailey, 20, appeared today in federal court following their arrest on an indictment alleging they conspired to, and engaged in the sexual exploitation of minors, according to United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian. The indictment unsealed today charges Bailey and LaPorte with conspiracy to sexually exploit a minor child born in 2014, and two counts of sexually exploiting that child on two dates in 2016. In addition, LaPorte is charged with a fourth count relating to his exploitation of two children, one born in 2003, the other in 1999, on a date in 2016.

Each of the charges filed against LaPorte and Bailey carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years, a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life, and registration as a sex offender.

“A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors,” Hartunian said in a prepared statement. “The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.”

The defendants were arraigned today in Syracuse, New York, before United States Magistrate Judge David E. Peebles.

LaPorte was ordered detained.

Bailey was ordered detained pending a detention hearing, scheduled for Wednesday.

This case is being investigated by the New York State Police, the Massena Police Department, and Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lisa M. Fletcher and Sahar Amandolare, as a part of Project Safe Childhood, according to Hartunian.