Leonard Suskin, of East Northport, used AI to create, distribute child sex-abuse material while on LIRR, authorities say
Leonard Suskin, who pleaded not guilty to numerous charges, is being held pending his next appearance in Suffolk County Court in Riverhead. Credit: Rick Kopstein
Authorities said he viewed — and even uploaded images — of child sexual abuse while commuting on the Long Island Rail Road.
The 53-year-old East Northport man has now been indicted on charges of promoting a sexual performance by a child and with possessing a sexual performance by a child, having created and shared child sexual abuse material — including images generated by artificial intelligence in order to alter "innocuous photographs of children," prosecutors with the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office said.
Leonard Suskin was arraigned Monday before acting Supreme Court Justice Karen M. Wilutis in Riverhead, charged with two counts of promoting a sexual performance by a child as a sexually motivated felony, as well as four counts of promoting a sexual performance by a child and 56 counts of possessing a sexual performance by a child, court records show. Suskin, who pleaded not guilty, was ordered held on $2 million partially secured bond, $600,000 bond or $200,000 cash bail. A temporary order of protection also was issued, according to records. Suskin is due back in court on May 13.
He faces up to 7 years in prison if convicted of the top count.
Evan Sugar, the defense attorney representing Suskin, declined to comment when reached by telephone Tuesday afternoon.
Prosecutors said Suskin was riding the LIRR in January when another commuter, through a space between the seats, saw him "allegedly viewing and uploading images of child sexual abuse in a chat group on his phone."
The witness recorded the incident and noted the stop where Suskin exited the train, prosecutors said.
The district attorney's office said Metropolitan Transportation Authority police later identified Suskin as the alleged perpetrator and executed search warrants for his phone and other electronic devices. During those searches, authorities said police recovered a phone and flash drives from a suitcase belonging to Suskin, as well as electronic devices from his home. Prosecutors said a subsequent investigation by detectives from the Suffolk County Police Digital Forensics Unit discovered the images. Those included "innocuous images of children" that police and prosecutors allege Suskin altered using AI to create what the district attorney's office said were "child sexual abuse images."
Further investigation determined Suskin had uploaded images to social media platforms to distribute them to others.
"This defendant allegedly sat on a commuter train and openly viewed and shared child sexual abuse material and was caught when a fellow passenger had the courage to act," Suffolk District Attorney Ray Tierney said in a statement released Tuesday. "My office will prosecute anyone who exploits children in Suffolk County. We urge parents to be mindful of the images of their children that they share publicly online, as predators can and do use those images for these purposes."
John Valenti, a Newsday reporter since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press, Society of the Silurians and National Headliner Awards for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing. He is the author of “Swee'pea,” about New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. His debut crime novel, “For Nothing Is Hidden,” rooted in 1950s Long Island, was released in October 2025.
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