A Rensselaer County sex offender is facing up to 50 years in prison for taking sexually explicit pictures of young child.

Zachary Frye, 28, pleaded guilty in U.S. District on Tuesday to sexual exploitation of a child. He admitted that in October 2019, he took several explicit photographs of child about 5 years in age and also of himself with the child, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

Frye also sent those images to another person on social media with whom he had been discussing the sexual abuse of children, prosecutors said.

Frye had been required to register as a sex offender because of a 2017 conviction in Delaware County Court. He is classified as a Level 3 offender, which is the highest risk to reoffend, according to the state sex offender database.

Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 7. Frye faces 25 to 50 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 and restitution to the victim.