NORFOLK, Va. — Marco Viscomi, a 35-year-old former medical student from Ontario, Canada, pleaded guilty yesterday to orchestrating a predatory online sextortion scheme and producing child sexual abuse material. The case, which spanned more than eight years, exposed a calculated campaign of psychological terror targeting dozens of underage girls across the United States.
According to court documents, the Virginia Beach Police Department (VBPD) first identified Viscomi in January 2012 after a father reported that his two daughters — then 13 and 17 — were blackmailed into performing sexually explicit acts over the internet. The perpetrator threatened to release private images unless the girls complied. VBPD and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) traced the digital trail to Ontario and quickly identified Viscomi, then a 26-year-old medical student, as the culprit.
Further investigation revealed that Viscomi had used fake identities and social media platforms to manipulate and extort scores of other minor victims, coercing them into producing illicit images under threat of public exposure. His tactics followed a chilling pattern: befriend, manipulate, degrade. What began as seemingly innocent online contact escalated into psychological warfare against vulnerable children.
Charged in federal court in July 2012, Viscomi fought extradition from Canada for nearly eight years. Canadian courts finally ordered his transfer in December 2019, and he was flown to Norfolk to face justice. On Tuesday, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lawrence R. Leonard, he pleaded guilty to two counts of production of child pornography — a crime carrying a mandatory minimum of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in prison per count. Sentencing is scheduled for January 14, 2021.
“Marco Viscomi’s criminal conduct is nothing short of horrendous,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Producing images of child sexual abuse is heinous and causes incalculable and unknowable harm to victims. The actions that Viscomi engaged in are one of the most offensive and serious crimes in the entire criminal code.”
Raymond Villanueva, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Washington, D.C., emphasized the long-term pursuit: “Homeland Security Investigations began this case with the Virginia Beach Police Department more than eight years ago and didn’t relent until justice was served. Individuals who prey on children cannot hide behind their electronic devices and screen names. We will find and arrest you and ensure you are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth M. Yusi and E. Rebecca Gantt as part of Project Safe Childhood, the DOJ’s nationwide initiative to combat child exploitation online.
Related Federal Cases
- Labib Chammas Guilty of Raping Household Staffer · Washington
- Arlington Man Pleads Guilty to Downloading 83K Child Porn Images · Washington
- Lucas Aronson Gets 17 Years for Child Porn Production · Washington
- Labib Chammas Sentenced to 30 Months for Sex Abuse in Morocco · Washington
- Ashburn Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography Receipt · Washington
Key Facts
- State: Virginia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
Sex CrimesSex CrimesSex CrimesSex Crimes