Watertown Police Arrest Local Man for Attempted Dissemination of Indecent Materials to Minors and Failure to Register Social Media Accounts
WATERTOWN, NY – The Watertown Police Department has announced the arrest of Paul John Avallone, age 67, of 140 Polk Street, Apartment 2, Watertown, NY, following an investigation into online crimes against minors and violations of the New York State Sex Offender Registry requirements.
On February 17, 2025, the department was contacted by members of Nicky Sal, an online watchdog group, regarding an alleged attempt to disseminate indecent materials to minors. Investigators determined that Avallone engaged in explicit conversations with an account he believed belonged to a 13-year-old female and attempted to solicit nude images.
During the investigation, authorities also discovered that Avallone had failed to register multiple social media accounts as required by state law.
Avallone has been charged with the following:
Attempted Disseminating Indecent Materials to Minors in the Second Degree (Class A misdemeanor)
Failure to Register and Verify a Social Media Account (three counts)
Failure to Register as a Sex Offender in the First Degree (Class E felony)
Avallone was arraigned in Watertown City Court and remanded to the Jefferson County Correctional Facility without bail.
The Watertown Police Department commends the vigilance of community watchdog groups in assisting with investigations involving the safety of minors.
Nicky Sal's Video: