Miami-Area Photographer Sentenced to 10 Years on Child Pornography Charges

Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Michael B. Steinbach, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, announce the sentencing of Diego Tobias Matrajt, 37, of Miami, Florida, on charges of distribution of child pornography and possession of child pornography in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252(a)(2) and 2252(a)(4)(B). At the sentencing hearing on December 12, 2012, U.S. District Judge Robert N. Scola sentenced Matrajt to 10 years in prison, to be followed by 25 years of supervised release.

On September 20, 2012, Matrajt pled guilty to one count of distribution of child pornography and two counts of possession of child pornography. According to court records, Matrajt distributed 10 images of child pornography to an undercover agent using a peer-to-peer file sharing program on February 16, 2012. During a subsequent search of Matrajt’s residence in late April 2012, law enforcement agents seized several computers and digital media. A search of one of Matrajt’s computers revealed 26 webcam videos depicting young children (both male and female) changing clothes alone in a guest bedroom with their genitalia exposed. Matrajt, who operated a photography business at his residence, has admitted surreptitiously video recording children under the age of 12 as the children changed clothes in a guest bedroom during photo shoots. Court records further reflect that another of Matrajt’s computers contained 14 webcam videos depicting boys age 12 and under engaged in sexual acts of either masturbation or oral sex.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Project Safe Childhood was launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and is led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). 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.justice.gov/psc.

Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elisa Castrolugo.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls.