A former Riverhead High School teacher was arrested today in Suffolk County after being accused of requesting nude photos and engaging in sexual acts while video chatting with minors on Snapchat in December.
Ryan McCaffery, 37, of Ridge, surrendered today to New York State Police in Riverside and was arrested on multiple child pornography and child endangerment-related charges, according to a police press release. McCaffery was arrested and charged in Bergen County, New Jersey on Feb. 15 on similar allegations.
Riverhead school officials said McCaffery’s criminal charges are unrelated to his interaction with Riverhead students while employed as a high school teacher.
McCaffery was arraigned and charged with three counts of first degree disseminating indecent material to minors; three counts of endangering the welfare of a child; three counts of use of a child in a sexual performance; one count of possessing a sexual performance by a child; one count of promoting a sexual performance by a child. He pleaded not guilty to all the charges, according to court records.
The arrest followed a joint investigation by New York and New Jersey authorities, triggered by a cyber tip, polcie said. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at McCaffery’s Ridge home on Jan. 17, during which they seized several electronic devices, police said.
According to police, McCaffery requested nude photos and engaged in sexual acts while video chatting with victims under the age of 14 on Snapchat in December. Police urged any parent or guardian who believes their child received inappropriate communications from the Snapchat username “C_chambers77” to contact the New York State Police at 631-756-3300.
The charges follow McCaffery’s February arrest in Bergen County, where prosecutors allege he engaged in sexual acts through video chat with two children online and asked the victims for nude photos.
The new charges are unrelated to any of McCaffery’s prior work as a teacher at Riverhead High School or any interactions he may have had with students enrolled in the school, Interim Superintendent Cheryl Pedisich said in a statement Monday.
“When, and if, any additional information becomes available that can be released to the public, we will update the community,” Pedisich added.
McCaffery resigned from the Riverhead Central School District on Feb. 5, citing personal reasons, 10 days before he was arrested and charged in New Jersey. He had been a high school social studies teacher, the head coach for the junior varsity boy’s soccer team, and taught social studies in the evening school program prior to his resignation, according to Riverhead Board of Education records.
In February, Pedisich called McCaffery’s alleged actions “deplorable” and wrote that the district will “be cooperating with law enforcement in any ongoing investigations.”
McCaffery’s attorney did not immediately return a call requesting comment.
Editor’s note: A criminal charge is an accusation. A person charged with a crime is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
This article was amended on May 12, 2025 at 6:35 p.m. to correct a misstatement made by state police about the Snapchat name allegedly used by McCaffrey. It is C_chambers77, not christ2345hsh.
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