Sheriff Kevin J. McConville reports the arrest of a Kent man on Child Sexual Exploitation Charges.
On August 14, 2025, members of the Putnam County Sheriff's Office arrested 68-year-old Lawrence Grella following a multi-agency investigation into the online sharing and possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material.
The investigation began on July 9, 2025, when the Sheriff's Office received an Internet Crimes Against Children referral involving two National Center for Missing & Exploited Children CyberTipline reports. Working alongside Homeland Security Investigators (HSI), Sheriff's investigators identified an Instagram account linked to Grella that was used to share illicit content.
Search warrants and subpoenas were executed for associated social media and internet service provider records, leading to the identification of Grella's residence.
On August 5, 2025, the Sheriff's Office, with assistance from HSI, executed a search warrant at Grella's home. Multiple electronic devices were seized, and forensic reviews located illicit videos on Grella's phone.
Grella voluntarily surrendered to authorities, accompanied by his attorney. He was arraigned in the Town of Kent Court on two counts of Promoting a Sexual Performance by a Child and three counts of Possession of a Sexual Performance by a Child, both felonies. He was released on his own recognizance with probation check-ins three times weekly.
