Dover Catfish Lands 20 Years for Preying on Teens

A Dover man has been sentenced to two decades in federal prison for a ‘catfishing’ scheme targeting minor victims, according to the Department of Justice USAO.

Evan Gadarowski, 29, of Dover, was sentenced to 240 months in prison and 10 years of supervised release by U.S. District Court Samantha Elliott after pleading guilty to one count each of possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material, or CSAM, on October 23, 2023.

Gadarowski, described as a ‘sexual predator’ by U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young, ’caused numerous minor survivors unimaginable trauma and pain’ by manipulating high-school aged girls into thinking he was someone he was not and using this fictitious persona to gain their trust to obtain explicit images and videos from them.

Young added that when these survivors resisted his demands for more images, he threatened to disseminate the compromising images already in his possession to others, ‘preying on their deepest fears, causing them prolonged anguish.’

Lt. Eric Kinsman, Commander of the NH ICAC Task Force, said that cases in which child victims fall prey to the actions of sexual predators who choose to take advantage of their innocence and threaten their physical and emotional well-being have risen at an alarming rate.

The investigation revealed that Gadarowski ‘catfished’ his victims by posing as a teenage girl using sexually explicit images and videos of one minor victim and adopting them as part of a fictitious online persona. He then sent sexually explicit images and videos depicting one minor victim to others and induced unsuspecting minor victims to send him sexually explicit images and videos of themselves in return.

Homeland Security Investigations led the federal investigation, with the Nashua Police Department and the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task force providing valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kasey Weiland prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.

This case serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of online predators and the importance of vigilance in protecting our children. As we continue to work towards a safer online environment, we must also recognize the devastating impact of these crimes on the victims and their families.