Ex-Riverhead teacher Ryan McCaffery sentenced to 3 years for soliciting nude images from underage girls

A former Riverhead High School teacher was sentenced to 3 years in state prison Wednesday for posing as a teenager to solicit nude images from underage girls on Snapchat and sharing child sexual abuse images on a messaging app.

Ryan McCaffery, 38, of Ridge, had pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree disseminating indecent material to minors, a felony, in a September plea bargain.

"You’ve been given a gift, Mr. McCaffery," acting Supreme Court Justice Karen Wilutis said during Wednesday’s sentencing in Riverhead. "I hope you realize that."

The judge said she would honor the agreed-upon sentence worked out by prosecutors but noted she felt it "quite frankly is not enough."

"You were in a position of trust as a teacher," the judge said, "akin to a guardian of children or a surrogate parent."

Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney made similar remarks in a statement issued after the sentencing.

"Adults have a responsibility to protect children, not expose them to sexually explicit material,” Tierney said. “The defendant’s conduct was deeply disturbing and wholly unacceptable. Children should never have to navigate this kind of exploitation or have their innocence stolen by an adult’s actions. This sentence holds the defendant accountable for conduct that has no place in our community.” 

McCaffery and his attorney, Elena Fast, of Manhattan, declined to address the judge during sentencing. The victims were not present and made no statement. McCaffery, who appeared wearing a green Suffolk County Correctional Facility jumpsuit, will be subject to 5 years of post-release supervision following his incarceration.

A New York State Police task force began an investigation into McCaffery in November 2024 after receiving a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that an individual had shared child sexual abuse material on Kik, a messaging app, authorities have said. In January 2025, police searched McCaffery’s home and found that over the prior two months he had been contacting underage girls, presenting himself as a teen.

Using the handle "c_chambers77” on Snapchat, McCaffery contacted hundreds of accounts of underage girls, sending photos of his exposed genitals and requesting nude images in return, prosecutors said. McCaffery also attempted to view and purchase sexual abuse images, sharing one such video with another user on Kik, prosecutors have said.

During the investigation, prosecutors learned McCaffery taught social studies and coached junior varsity boys soccer at Riverhead. He resigned from his teaching position following an arrest on similar charges in New Jersey in February 2025 and was charged on Long Island three months later, authorities said.

McCaffery pleaded guilty in Bergen County and received a 5-year sentence that began there on Feb. 11, according to court records. He will serve the sentences concurrently.

By Grant Parpan

grant.parpan@newsday.com@GrantParpan

Grant Parpan covers Suffolk County courts and federal courts for Newsday. A Long Island native, he joined Newsday in 2022.