Long Island Man Sentenced to 19 Years’ Imprisonment for Transporting Child Pornography

Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Brian Newton was sentenced to 19 years’ of imprisonment by United States District Judge Joseph F. Bianco following the defendant’s guilty plea on May 3, 2018 to transportation of child pornography in interstate and foreign commerce.  As part of his sentence, Newton must serve five years’ supervised release following his imprisonment, during which time he must remain registered as a sex offender and not have unsupervised contact with minors. 

Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the sentence.

“Newton, despite being a registered sex offender, again chose to victimize children by sharing images of their abuse with others online, conduct that is deserving of a substantial prison sentence and underscores a message of deterrence to others,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue.  “The protection of innocent children is a priority of utmost importance for this Office and our law enforcement partners.  We will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that those who victimize children will be arrested and prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”  Mr. Donoghue extended his grateful appreciation to the FBI New York Crimes Against Children Task Force for its investigative work and assistance. 

“Child pornography is not an abstract crime. It is a direct byproduct of the sexual abuse of innocent children – in this instance, including infants and toddlers,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney. “And though he was already on probation for a prior child pornography conviction, Newton continued and even escalated his depraved actions, sharing child pornography while sexually soliciting minor children online. Today’s sentence provides a measure of justice for Newton’s victims, and protects those he sought to victimize. The FBI’s Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Task Force and our partners are committed to investigating and prosecuting anyone who seeks to harm children.”

Newton, who at the time of the charged offense was on probation from a conviction in Suffolk County in 2014 for possession of child pornography, was caught trading child pornography including sadistic depictions of the sexual abuse of infants and toddlers.  During the execution of a search warrant at his residence, law enforcement seized Newton’s large collection of child pornography, including hundreds of videos and thousands of images.  After his arrest, Newton admitted engaging in conversations with minors over internet chat platforms, as well as sending nude images of himself to minors and soliciting nude images from minors.    

This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative led by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by United States 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 to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. 

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division.  Assistant United States Attorneys Lara T. Gatz and Michael R. Maffei are in charge of the prosecution. 

The Defendant:

BRIAN JOSEPH NEWTON
Age:  38
East Northport, New York

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 17-CR-341 (JFB)