Jury Convicts Irondequoit Man of Possessing and Distributing Child Pornography, Making False Statements

ROCHESTER, NY—U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Robert Cavigliano, 56, of Irondequoit, New York, was convicted following a jury trial before U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr. of five counts of distributing child pornography, one count of possessing child pornography, and one count of making a false statement to federal agents. The charges carry a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a fine of $250,000.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marisa J. Miller and Tiffany H. Lee, who handled the prosecution of the case, stated that in October and November 2011, undercover agents in both Rochester and Montana received child pornography from the defendant through a peer-to-peer software program. Testimony at trial established that agents executed a search warrant at Cavigliano’s residence in January 2012, at which time they located items of digital media, including a laptop computer. That computer was later discovered to contain images and videos of child pornography. The defendant was also convicted of making a false statement to federal agents when he stated to members of the FBI that he did not own or possess any laptop computers, during an interview with agents prior to the execution of the warrant.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

The is the culmination of an investigation on the part of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Cyber Task Force, consisting of special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; deputies with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Patrick O’Flynn; and investigators with the Rochester Police Department, under the Direction of Chief Michael Ciminelli.

Sentencing is scheduled for June 10, 2014, at 3:00 p.m. before Judge Geraci.