Capasso Admits to Child Sex Exploitation Conspiracy

CAMDEN, N.J. – The depravity reached a new low in Camden County. Alexander Capasso, 43, of Collingswood, today confessed to a sickening conspiracy to sexually exploit children, admitting his role in creating and distributing horrific images. The plea brings a small measure of justice, but the scars will remain.

Capasso pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Jerome B. Simandle to Count One of an indictment, charging him with conspiring with his former girlfriend, Janine Kelley, 36, of Audubon, New Jersey, to engage in the sexual exploitation of children. The details, laid bare in court documents, paint a disturbing picture of calculated abuse.

According to the government’s case, Capasso initiated a sexual relationship with Kelley in 2010. During this time, Capasso actively took – and allowed Kelley to take – recorded images of himself engaged in sexually explicit conduct with a child. Even more chilling, Capasso also permitted Kelley to take recorded images of her engaging in similar acts with two children. The sheer callousness is staggering.

Under the terms of the plea agreement, if accepted by Judge Simandle, Capasso is looking at a 15 to 20-year prison sentence, followed by a lifetime of supervised release. He also faces a potential $250,000 fine and will be required to provide full restitution to the victims. Capasso has been rotting in federal custody since his arrest on July 20, 2015 – a small consolation for the unimaginable harm inflicted.

Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick rightly lauded the relentless work of the FBI Philadelphia Division, led by Special Agent in Charge Michael Harpster, and the FBI Washington D.C., Field Office, under Assistant Director in Charge Andrew Vale. This was a complex investigation, and their dedication brought a predator to justice. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Diana Carrig and Sara Aliabadi, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden, are prosecuting the case.

Capasso’s defense counsel, Terri Lodge Esq. of Cinnaminson, New Jersey, was present for the plea. Sentencing is scheduled for September 20, 2017. While a conviction is secured, the focus now shifts to ensuring Capasso receives the maximum penalty and that the victims receive the support they desperately need. This case serves as a grim reminder of the monsters who lurk in plain sight and the constant vigilance required to protect the most vulnerable among us.