A Buffalo man known as an advocate for children’s safety was arrested this week on charges related to the possession and distribution of child sex abuse material.
John Todaro, 49, was arrested Wednesday, April 9 and charged with promoting a sexual performance by a child and possessing a sexual performance by a child, both felonies, the New York State Police announced.
Todaro is the current vice president of the Buffalo chapter of Bikers Against Child Abuse, a group that uses community intervention to protect abused children.
According to their program plan, each member must be committed to helping abused children feel safe and are required to pass a background check before having contact with a child.
Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.
As vice president of Bikers Against Child Abuse, Todaro would have had several opportunities to be around children, per the State Police, who are asking anyone with additional information to contact them.
Todaro was arraigned in the town of Amherst Court and subsequently released. It wasn’t immediately clear if he has entered a plea or retained an attorney. He is scheduled to return to court in May.
If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
Read the full article here