Hochul: Accused officer tried suicide

HAMBURG, N.Y. (WIVB) - A veteran U.S. Customs officer faced a judge Thursday afternoon in a sickening case of child pornography.

Steven Metz has looked over local border crossings for the last 16 years. But now, the 40-year-old married father is in custody and charged with possessing child pornography. Prosecutors do not want him out on bail because they say he is a danger to himself and possibly others.

On three of his computers, prosecutors say the U.S. Customs and Border Protection supervisor possessed child pornography from a distributor based in Arizona. The children were said to be as young as 3- and 4-years-old.

RELATED | Prosecutors say the videos and images showed adult men having sex with children, both boys and girls

U.S. Attorney William Hochul said, "It is the crime of possessing child pornography, but one must keep in mind that there's real victims, children here."

Metz's attorney, Jeremy Schwartz, said, "He's ready to fight the charges and he's hired us to help him do that and that's what we're going to do."

After federal agents searched Metz's home in Hamburg, prosecutors say his wife insisted he leave the house. He was also placed on administrative leave by the government.

That's when prosecutors say he tried to take his own life by driving his car on rail tracks in Blasdell in front of an oncoming train, which News 4 covered on October 26. They feel he is still a danger to himself and others and needs to remain in custody.

Prosecutor Marie Grisanti said, "I argued to the judge that he was a danger to himself as well as, at that time, anyone that would have been on the train could have been injured, or anyone in the immediate vicinity of the railroad tracks."

Metz's attorney Julie Atti Rogers said, "It's only an allegation of suicide at this time. We're not indicating that that's what it was. There's no proof of that right now."

Metz has two fractures in his back and was also treated for psychiatric problems at ECMC, where he was just released. He is now being held in an undisclosed jail. His attorneys want him to be placed in the care of his sister, who is a nurse.

"We did want him released because we believe that's the best place for him to be with family," Schwartz said.

Some of Metz's relatives were in the federal courtroom when the judge said he would review the medical records and determine if he is eligible for bail. They had little to say after he was taken back into custody.