A tip from a teenager in Connecticut contributed to the arrest of a 27-year-old Long Island, New York man who was accused of the sexual exploitation of a child and he has been sentenced to 25 years in prison, according to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.
Federal authorities said the suspect targeted several girls or teenage females on Snapchat, including a 13-year-old in Connecticut and an 11-year-old in Nevada, had sexually explicit conversations with them and sent unsolicited videos and images of child pornography.
“Today’s sentence removes a dangerous predator and is only possible due to the bravery of two young girls, who came forward to the authorities about the defendant’s disturbing behavior online, which then helped protect the community and end the abuse of another girl,” U.S. Attorney Breon Peace said in a news release. “I urge parents and caregivers to encourage their children to tell a trusted adult if anyone asks them to engage in inappropriate behavior. Protecting children and holding those who harm vulnerable victims accountable for their actions will always be priorities of our Office.”
In September 2019, the suspect used Snapchat to contact the 13-year-old young from Connecticut who he didn’t know, described his own sexual abuse of a 9-year-old and sent the teen an unsolicited video depicting a child estimated to be between 8 and 10 years old engaged in sexual conduct, according to federal officials.
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In June 2020, he uploaded more than two dozen videos and images of child pornography to Snapchat, some of which contained graphic depictions of child abuse and involved small children believed to be under the age of 5, according to federal officials.
They said he also contacted an 11-year-old Nevada girl, made statements about his molestation of a 9-year-old girl and sent the child sexually explicit photos of himself.
A news release from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York said the information came to light after the Connecticut teen reported the contact to school officials, who then contacted local law enforcement, and the 11-year-old girl from Nevada reported the conduct to local law enforcement.
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Snapchat told the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that approximately 28 videos and images containing child pornography had been uploaded to the platform using the defendant’s Snapchat account, according to federal officials.
Federal officials said law enforcement officers searched the suspect’s residence and found evidence that he had videotaped several sexual encounters with a 9-year-old girl who had been entrusted to his care.
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