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Child Pornography

Sibling Sextortion: NY Child Abuser Had Help From Sister In Cyberstalking Scheme, Feds Say Sibling Sextortion: NY Child Abuser Had Help From Sister In Cyberstalking Scheme, Feds Say
Sibling Sextortion: NY Child Abuser Had Help From Sister In Cyberstalking Scheme, Feds Say A New York brother currently serving time in federal prison and sister are facing federal charges for an elaborate cyberstalking and extortion scheme involving explicit images and a fraudulent life insurance plot, federal authorities announced. Fred Mastroianni, of White Plains, and Doreen Mastroianni, of Yorktown Heights, have been charged with cyberstalking, extortion, and conspiracy to commit extortion, according to an indictment unsealed by federal officials. The pair allegedly targeted "Victim-1" by threatening to release sexually explicit photos and videos unless the victim complied w…
Westchester Woman Shared Child Porn, Discussed Abusing Kids Online: Feds Westchester Woman Shared Child Porn, Discussed Abusing Kids Online: Feds
Westchester Woman Shared Child Porn, Discussed Abusing Kids Online: Feds Police in Connecticut worked with federal investigators to arrest a 23-year-old woman who authorities say shared child sexual abuse material online and discussed wanting to sexually abuse kids on social media.  Westchester County resident Sasha May, of Pelham, is charged with distributing child pornography, the US Attorney for Connecticut said.  May is accused of sending the offending material to an undercover officer between December 2023 and May 2023 through the social media platforms Kik and Whisper. In conversations with the agent, May detailed her sexual interest in chil…
Westchester Man Sexually Abused, Groomed Young Victim From Age 10 To 18: Here's His Sentence Westchester Man Sexually Abused, Groomed Young Victim From Age 10 To 18: Here's His Sentence
Westchester Man Sexually Abused, Groomed Young Victim From Age 10 To 18: Here's His Sentence A 53-year-old man from Westchester will spend decades in prison for sexually abusing a victim throughout their teenage years as well as amassing a large collection of child pornography, officials announced.  Fred Mastroianni, a resident of White Plains, has been sentenced to 35 years in prison for grooming a young victim over the course of several years.  Additionally, he was convicted of receiving and distributing child pornography.  The announcement was made by the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York on Thursday, August 15th. According to federal of…
Westchester Honors Retiring 'Cyber Dog,' Detective Who Worked To Sniff Out Electronics Westchester Honors Retiring 'Cyber Dog,' Detective Who Worked To Sniff Out Electronics
Westchester Honors Retiring 'Cyber Dog,' Detective Who Worked To Sniff Out Electronics County officials are honoring the careers of a retiring Westchester detective and his K9 partner who worked to find hidden electronic devices containing evidence in criminal investigations.  The retirement of Westchester County Police Detective Brett Hochron and his partner, Harley the Cyber Dog, was announced on Monday, July 1.  According to County Executive George Latimer, the duo spent much of their careers sniffing out hidden digital devices in search of evidence for investigations, including SIM cards, thumb drives, hard drives, cell phones, tablets, laptop computers, an…
Child Porn Possession: Former Sports Hall Of Famer From Westchester Gets Years In Prison Child Porn Possession: Former Sports Hall Of Famer From Westchester Gets Years In Prison
Child Porn Possession: Former Sports Hall Of Famer From Westchester Gets Years In Prison A retired teacher and former sports announcer who was once inducted into the Westchester Sports Hall of Fame has been sentenced for receiving child pornography.  Somers resident Richard Leaf, age 76, who is well-known in Westchester for announcing Section 1 boys and girls basketball tournaments for more than three decades, was sentenced on Tuesday, July 2 to a decade in prison for receiving child pornography, according to federal US District Court documents.  Earlier Report - Child Porn Possession: Sports Hall Of Famer From Hudson Valley Pleads Guilty According to federal pr…
Adult Film Actor From NY Accused Of Distributing Child Pornography Adult Film Actor From NY Accused Of Distributing Child Pornography
Adult Film Actor From NY Accused Of Distributing Child Pornography An adult film actor who resides in New York has been accused of sending and receiving hundreds of videos of child pornography, federal authorities announced. Justin Heath Smith, who uses the stage name “Austin Wolf.” sent images depicting children as young as infants, "including a ghastly video showing a young child bound, beaten, and raped," said Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York. In addition to sharing child pornography via the Telegram app, the 43-year-old Smith was also charged with possessing hundreds of additional videos conta…
19-Year-Old From Westchester Caught With Child Porn Images: Police 19-Year-Old From Westchester Caught With Child Porn Images: Police
19-Year-Old From Westchester Caught With Child Porn Images: Police A 19-year-old man from Northern Westchester faces criminal charges after he was caught with images containing child pornography, police announced. Mount Kisco resident Jason Orellana Ramos was arrested in Schenectady County on Wednesday, April 24 on child pornography charges, New York State Police announced on Wednesday, May 1.  According to authorities, Orellana Ramos's arrest followed an investigation that stemmed from a cyber tip received from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. He is now accused of possessing images consistent with child sexual ex…
Man Captures Images Of Young Girls With Hidden Cameras At Hudson Valley Park: Feds Man Captures Images Of Young Girls With Hidden Cameras At Hudson Valley Park: Feds
Man Captures Images Of Young Girls With Hidden Cameras At Hudson Valley Park: Feds A 54-year-old man faces child pornography possession charges after placing hidden cameras in the bathroom of a public park in the Hudson Valley to capture images of young girls, officials announced. Putnam County resident John Towers of Mahopac was arrested on Thursday, April 18 on child pornography charges, the US Attorney's Office of the Southern District of New York announced.  According to federal officials, from July 24, 2018, to December 9, 2019, Towers put hidden cameras in the bathroom of a privately owned public park in Putnam County to secretly record sexually explicit images…
K9 Helps Nab Man Caught With Child Porn In Hudson Valley: Authorities K9 Helps Nab Man Caught With Child Porn In Hudson Valley: Authorities
K9 Helps Nab Man Caught With Child Porn In Hudson Valley: Authorities A 53-year-old Hudson Valley man faces child pornography charges following a search of his residence, police announced. Putnam County resident John Towers of Mahopac was arrested on Friday, March 29 after he was caught in possession of images depicting the sexual abuse of children, the Putnam County Sheriff's Office announced on Tuesday, April 2.  According to the Sheriff's Office, Towers' arrest followed an investigation that began in February, when the office's Bureau of Criminal Investigation received information that a Town of Carmel resident had photos containing child pornography.…
Police Officer From Westchester Nabbed For Sexually Exploiting Child, Feds Say Police Officer From Westchester Nabbed For Sexually Exploiting Child, Feds Say
Police Officer From Westchester Nabbed For Sexually Exploiting Child, Feds Say A police officer from Westchester and his accomplice face criminal charges for sexually exploiting a child and having them send explicit videos and photos over the internet, federal officials announced.  Angad Beharry, a 46-year-old New York City Police Officer from Yonkers, and Gisainet Cristina Chirinos Viloria, a 23-year-old Venezuelan citizen from Goshen, Indiana, were both arrested on Thursday, Jan 25 on sexual exploitation charges, the US Attorney's Office for Southern District of New York announced.  According to federal officials, between Aug. 31, 2022, and Sept.…
Condoms, Rope Found On NY Man Who Blackmailed Minors Into Sending Nudes, Feds Say Condoms, Rope Found On NY Man Who Blackmailed Minors Into Sending Nudes, Feds Say
Condoms, Rope Found On NY Man Who Blackmailed Minors Into Sending Nudes, Feds Say A New York man is in federal custody after allegedly blackmailing several underage girls into sending him sexually explicit images. Long Island resident Brandon Kern, age 29, of Bayport, was arraigned on multiple charges in Central Islip federal court on Wednesday, Nov. 22. An investigation found that between December 2020 and October 2021, he posed as a teenager on Snapchat in order to convince at least six underage girls to send him sexually explicit photos and videos. Some of the victims were as young as 12 years old, according to the FBI. When the girls attempted to block him, Kern al…
Child Porn Arrest: School Therapist From Hudson Valley Coaxed Teen Into Sending Nudes, Feds Say Child Porn Arrest: School Therapist From Hudson Valley Coaxed Teen Into Sending Nudes, Feds Say
Child Porn Arrest: School Therapist From Hudson Valley Coaxed Teen Into Sending Nudes, Feds Say A recently retired high school therapist is facing federal charges after allegedly coaxing an underage teen into sending sexually explicit photos. Orange County resident Michael Meyers, age 62, of Port Jervis, was arraigned in White Plains federal court on Monday, Nov. 20. According to the criminal complaint, an FBI investigation found that Meyers communicated with a 16-year-old minor on the app Discord. During their conversation, he allegedly asked the victim to send him several sexually explicit images and the victim complied. Meyers worked as an occupational therapist at Oceanside High…
Teacher From Westchester Caught With Child Porn, Trying To Hack Teen's Social Media: Feds Teacher From Westchester Caught With Child Porn, Trying To Hack Teen's Social Media: Feds
Teacher From Westchester Caught With Child Porn, Trying To Hack Teen's Social Media: Feds A 27-year-old teacher from Northern Westchester faces decades in prison after authorities discovered his possession of child pornography and an attempt to hack into a student's social media account, officials said. Yorktown resident and teacher Giuseppi Micciari, age 27, was arrested on child pornography charges and presented in White Plains federal court on Wednesday, Nov. 1, the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York announced.  According to federal officials, Micciari's arrest followed a review of his cell phone conducted by authorities that revealed th…
'Special Kind Of Evil': Child Sex Trafficker Who Recruited NY Victims Gets 40 Years In Prison 'Special Kind Of Evil': Child Sex Trafficker Who Recruited NY Victims Gets 40 Years In Prison
'Special Kind Of Evil': Child Sex Trafficker Who Recruited NY Victims Gets 40 Years In Prison A convicted sex trafficker will spend decades in prison for forcing underage girls into prostitution. New York resident Christopher Thomas, age 40, of Colonie in Albany County, was sentenced to 40 years behind bars Monday, Oct. 30, in Albany federal court. According to prosecutors, Thomas coerced numerous vulnerable children and young women, some as young as 16, to engage in sex work for his financial benefit between 2018 and 2020. His crimes spanned New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont. In March 2023, following a 5-day trial, jurors convicted Thomas of 16 counts, including s…
Trio Nabbed For Trafficking Cocaine Into Westchester: 1 Caught With Child Porn, DA Says Trio Nabbed For Trafficking Cocaine Into Westchester: 1 Caught With Child Porn, DA Says
Trio Nabbed For Trafficking Cocaine Into Westchester: 1 Caught With Child Porn, DA Says Three men will spend years in prison for trafficking narcotics into Westchester from another state, including one who was caught with child pornography on his cell phone, officials announced. The trio's sentences were announced on Friday, Oct. 20 by the Westchester County District Attorney's Office, which helped prosecute the three men.  The sentencings followed a six-month investigation beginning in February 2022 that centered on the defendants' illegal possession and trafficking of cocaine from Philadelphia to Yonkers. A forensic analysis of the trio's cell phones had revealed text m…
High School Teacher From Westchester Sends Sexual Pictures To Undercover Agent: Feds High School Teacher From Westchester Sends Sexual Pictures To Undercover Agent: Feds
High School Teacher From Westchester Sends Sexual Pictures To Undercover Agent: Feds A 34-year-old high school teacher from Westchester faces child pornography charges after sending sexually explicit pictures to an undercover agent posing as a 13-year-old girl, federal officials said. Hartsdale resident Kostas Fekkas, age 34, was arrested on Thursday, Sept. 14 on child pornography charges and presented in White Plains federal court, the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York announced.  According to federal officials, before his arrest, Fekkas, also known as “Constantine Fekkas" and “C.J. Justice" had been a teacher at a public c…
Former Pastor Who Exchanged Sexual Messages With Westchester Boy Gets Prison Time Former Pastor Who Exchanged Sexual Messages With Westchester Boy Gets Prison Time
Former Pastor Who Exchanged Sexual Messages With Westchester Boy Gets Prison Time A former pastor will spend several years in prison after engaging in sexually explicit text conversations with a 15-year-old boy from Westchester.  Glendale resident Francis Hughes, age 68, who once served as a pastor at the St. Pancras Roman Catholic Church in Queens, was sentenced to five years in prison for his receipt of child pornography, the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York announced on Tuesday, July 18.  Earlier Report - Pastor Accused Of Exchanging Sexually Explicit Messages With Westchester Boy According to federal officials, on Feb. 1…
Child Porn Arrest: Man Tries To Take Pictures Up Shopper's Dress In Hudson Valley, Police Say Child Porn Arrest: Man Tries To Take Pictures Up Shopper's Dress In Hudson Valley, Police Say
Child Porn Arrest: Man Tries To Take Pictures Up Shopper's Dress In Hudson Valley, Police Say A 47-year-old man was nabbed on child pornography charges after authorities searched his phone following his arrest for trying to take pictures up a woman's dress at a Hudson Valley store, police said.  The man's arrest first resulted from a Putnam County incident on Tuesday, July 4, when Carmel Police were alerted that a man had been attempting to snap pictures of the inside of a female shopper's dress at a local grocery store in Mahopac, according to Lt. Michael Bodo.  Officers soon arrived at the store but found that the suspect had already driven away. An investigation then de…
Former HS Teacher Enticed Student To Engage In Sexual Activity In Westchester: Feds Former HS Teacher Enticed Student To Engage In Sexual Activity In Westchester: Feds
Former HS Teacher Enticed Student To Engage In Sexual Activity In Westchester: Feds A former Westchester County high school teacher from Fairfield County faces more than a decade in prison after allegedly enticing one of her 16-year-old students to engage in sexual activity while making her believe they were in a romantic relationship, federal officials said. Bethel resident Sandy Carazas-Pinez, age 34, has been indicted on charges related to her alleged sexual exploitation of one of her students while she was employed at a school in Yonkers, the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York announced on Wednesday, July 12.  According to federal officials…
67 Counts Of Sexual Acts Involving Children: 22-Year-Old Man Charged In Westchester 67 Counts Of Sexual Acts Involving Children: 22-Year-Old Man Charged In Westchester
67 Counts Of Sexual Acts Involving Children: 22-Year-Old Man Charged In Westchester A Westchester man has been charged with more than 60 counts of sexual activity involving children, as well as creating and possessing child pornography for several years, officials said. New Rochelle resident Jason Ricketts, age 22, was indicted by a grand jury and arraigned in court on Thursday, July 6 on 67 counts of physical sexual acts involving children, in addition to charges related to his possession and creation of child pornography, according to the Westchester County District Attorney's Office.  According to officials, in addition to his alleged sexual conduct with child…
Child Porn Possession: Sports Hall Of Famer From Westchester Pleads Guilty Child Porn Possession: Sports Hall Of Famer From Westchester Pleads Guilty
Child Porn Possession: Sports Hall Of Famer From Westchester Pleads Guilty A retired teacher and former sports announcer who was inducted into the Westchester Sports Hall of Fame has admitted to receiving child pornography.  Somers resident Richard Leaf, age 74, who is well-known in Westchester for announcing Section 1 boys and girls basketball tournaments for more than three decades, pleaded guilty to a count of receiving child pornography on Thursday, June 29, according to federal court documents.   Earlier Report - Sports Hall Of Famer Identified As Man Accused Of Possessing Child Porn Videos, Images Leaf, who was inducted into the Hal…
Ex-Teacher From Tuckahoe Gets Prison Time For Sexually Abusing Children Ex-Teacher From Tuckahoe Gets Prison Time For Sexually Abusing Children
Ex-Teacher From Tuckahoe Gets Prison Time For Sexually Abusing Children A former teacher from Westchester will spend decades in prison for sexually abusing a young child who he had been tutoring in their own home, federal officials said.  Tuckahoe resident John Mueser, age 72, was sentenced to 25 years in prison for enticing a seven-year-old child that he had been tutoring to engage in sexual activity, the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York announced on Wednesday, April 19.  Earlier Report - Westchester Tutor Charged With Sexually Exploiting Minor, Transporting Child Porn According to federal officials, Mueser, who had be…
Repeat Offender: Man Uploads Child Porn To Social Media, Gets Years In Prison In Westchester Repeat Offender: Man Uploads Child Porn To Social Media, Gets Years In Prison In Westchester
Repeat Offender: Man Uploads Child Porn To Social Media, Gets Years In Prison In Westchester A sex offender from Northern Westchester who was already on probation for another offense will spend years in prison after sharing child pornography on social media.  Yorktown resident Dylan Rodriguez, age 31, was sentenced on Tuesday, March 7 to three to six years in state prison for sharing child pornography online, the Westchester County District Attorney's Office announced.  Rodriguez, who was already on probation for another sex offense at the time of his arrest, uploaded a video of an approximately five-year-old female child engaged in sexual conduct to Kik, an onl…
Westchester Sex Offender Shares Child Porn On Social Media, Gets Years In Prison Westchester Sex Offender Shares Child Porn On Social Media, Gets Years In Prison
Westchester Sex Offender Shares Child Porn On Social Media, Gets Years In Prison An already-registered sex offender from Westchester County was sentenced to years in prison for sharing child pornography on social media.  Yonkers resident Demetrious Kotopoulos, age 41, was sentenced to three to six years in state prison for sharing and possessing child pornography, Westchester County District Attorney Miriam Rocah announced on Tuesday, Jan. 31.  Kotopoulos, who was already on probation for a prior sex offense conviction, uploaded a file of a nude child engaged in sexual conduct to the social media messaging platform Discord on two occasions between March 2…
Greenwich Man Charged With Child Porn Offenses, Including Possessing Images With Infants Greenwich Man Charged With Child Porn Offenses, Including Possessing Images With Infants
Greenwich Man Charged With Child Porn Offenses, Including Possessing Images With Infants A Fairfield County man is facing charges after investigators found that his laptop contained about 1,000 images depicting the sexual abuse of children, including infants.  Christopher Bates Jr., age 36, of Greenwich, was arrested on a federal complaint charging him with child pornography offenses on Tuesday, Dec. 13, according to Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States attorney for the District of Connecticut. Investigators found that an IP address at Bates' home was being used to access the dark web to view images that depicted the sexual abuse of children, Roberts Avery reported. …
23-Year-Old Hudson Valley Man Faces Child Porn Charge 23-Year-Old Hudson Valley Man Faces Child Porn Charge
23-Year-Old Hudson Valley Man Faces Child Porn Charge A Hudson Valley man has been charged with possession of child pornography after state police received a tip. Dutchess County resident Michael C. Peratikos, age 23, of Wappinger, was arrested on Tuesday, Oct. 18, said Trooper AJ Hicks, of the New York State Police. After receiving a law enforcement tip, investigators determined Peratikos possessed child pornography, Hicks said. He was charged with possession of a sexual performance by a child and released on an appearance ticket. Peratikos is scheduled to appear in court on Thursday, Nov. 3 in Wappinger.
'Dangerous Predator': NY Man Who Made Sexually Explicit Videos Of 9-Year-Old Sentenced 'Dangerous Predator': NY Man Who Made Sexually Explicit Videos Of 9-Year-Old Sentenced
'Dangerous Predator': NY Man Who Made Sexually Explicit Videos Of 9-Year-Old Sentenced A New York man who filmed himself sexually abusing a 9-year-old girl and sent child pornography to minors is heading to prison, thanks in part to the bravery of a Connecticut teenager. Manuel Geovanny Torres Rivas, age 27, of Hempstead on Long Island, was sentenced to 25 years behind bars Friday, Oct. 14, in federal court in Central Islip. The sentence followed his January 2022 guilty plea to sexual exploitation of a child. Federal investigators began looking into Torres Rivas after a 13-year-old Connecticut girl told her school that a user on the social networking app Snapchat had sent h…
Investigation Into Fatal Westchester Crash Leads To Child Porn Charge, Police Say Investigation Into Fatal Westchester Crash Leads To Child Porn Charge, Police Say
Investigation Into Fatal Westchester Crash Leads To Child Porn Charge, Police Say A Hudson Valley man was nabbed on child porn charges following an investigation into a fatal motorcycle crash. Cesar Ulloa, age 28, of White Plains, was charged on Friday, July 1, with two counts of possessing obscene sexual performances by a child, following an investigation by the Westchester County Police and the Westchester District Attorney's Office. Ulloa was first arrested by Westchester County Police on Friday, Oct. 22, 2021, after a fatal accident on the Bronx River Parkway in Greenburgh, said Kieran O'Leary, spokesman for the Westchester County Police. The motorcyclist was struck…
Ex-State Employee Accused Of Possessing Child Pornography Ex-State Employee Accused Of Possessing Child Pornography
Ex-State Employee Accused Of Possessing Child Pornography A former New York State employee is facing serious prison time after he was allegedly found with sexually explicit images of children. Albany County resident Scott Weinbloom, age 47, of Latham, was arrested Friday, May 20, on a federal charge of possessing child pornography, according to the US Attorney’s Office in the North District. The illegal images and videos were found on an encrypted thumb drive that was found in his home Wednesday, May 18, prosecutors said. He appeared in federal court in Albany, where a judge ordered him detained while he awaits trial. Weinbloom had worked a…
Hudson Valley Man Accused Of Making Videos, Photographs Of Children Performing Sexual Acts Hudson Valley Man Accused Of Making Videos, Photographs Of Children Performing Sexual Acts
Hudson Valley Man Accused Of Making Videos, Photographs Of Children Performing Sexual Acts An 18-year-old Hudson Valley man has been arrested for allegedly producing videos of children performing sexual acts. The unnamed Ulster County resident, from Kingston, who was underage at the time of the crime, was arrested on Friday, May 13, following a two-month investigation by the Saugerties Police, authorities said. On Thursday, March 17, Saugerties Police received a complaint from a juvenile female that an 18-year-old male from Kingston was producing videos of children in the act of sexual performance, said Chief Joseph Sinagra of the Saugerties Police. Through the course …
Former Hudson Valley Resident, Age 24, Sentenced For Child Porn Former Hudson Valley Resident, Age 24, Sentenced For Child Porn
Former Hudson Valley Resident, Age 24, Sentenced For Child Porn A 24-year-old has been sentenced for possessing and receiving child porn, federal authorities announced. Long Island resident Jacob Delaney, age 24, of Holtsville, was sentenced to 6.5 years in prison for receiving and possessing child pornography, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of New York Carla B. Freedman and Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the FBI on Thursday, May 12. As part of his guilty plea, Delaney admitted that between about September 2018 and December 12, 2019, as a resident of Ulster County, in the to…