PROVIDENCE — David Crisostomi, 37, of East Providence, pleaded guilty to three counts of using a minor to manufacture child pornography, and one count each of possessing and distributing child pornography during a hearing held in U.S. District Court on Tuesday, March 12,.
The plea was announced in a press release authorized by United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha; Richard Deslauriers, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Field Office; and Colonel Steven G. O’Donnell, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police.
Appearing before U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., Mr. Crisostomi admitted to the court that on at least three occasions he participated in the recording of child pornography with a prepubescent minor. He also admitted to the court that he downloaded and shared child pornography with others.
According to information presented to the court, on Jan. 6, 2012, an undercover agent from the FBI’s Innocent Images Operations Unit observed that a user later identified as Mr. Crisostomi was online and was sharing two folders containing child pornography. Three days later, an undercover agent observed that Crisostomi was online and was now sharing four folders containing child pornography.
On Feb. 16, 2012, agents from the FBI and the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force executed a federal search warrant at Mr. Crisostomi’s residence and seized numerous images and videos depicting child pornography, computers and other electronic devices.
Mr. Crisostomi has been detained in federal custody since his arrest on Feb. 16, 2012. He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 29, 2013.
At sentencing, Mr. Crisostomi faces a minimum statutory sentence of 15 years imprisonment and up to 30 years imprisonment for using a minor to produce child pornography; a minimum statutory sentence of 5 years imprisonment and up to 20 years imprisonment for distribution of child pornography; and up to 10 years imprisonment for possessing child pornography.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John P. McAdams is prosecuting the case.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.
Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”