HARTFORD, CT – Christopher Jesus Constanzo, 23, of Torrington, Connecticut, will spend the next 300 months – 25 years – behind bars for a sickening pattern of sexual exploitation targeting three vulnerable minors. U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson handed down the sentence today, followed by a lifetime of supervised release. The case, brought by U.S. Attorney David X. Sullivan, details a predator who used coercion, violence, and deceit to inflict lasting trauma on his victims.
The depravity began to unravel on December 2, 2021, at the U.S. Port of Entry at Highgate Springs, Vermont. Constanzo and a 16-year-old girl arrived in a vehicle after being turned away by Canadian Border Services. The girl, after being separated from Constanzo by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) officers, revealed a terrifying ordeal. She’d met Constanzo the previous night at Stillwater Pond State Park in Torrington, where he sexually assaulted her. He then forced her into the trunk of her own car, restraining her with a shoelace, and drove off. The assault continued during the night, and as they approached the Canadian border, Constanzo instructed her to “act normal” and falsely told officials she was his sister.
But the Vermont incident was just one piece of a monstrous pattern. In July 2021, Constanzo used Snapchat to lure a 16-year-old girl to an abandoned warehouse in Torrington. Posing as fictitious individuals online, he threatened to harm her and her boyfriend if she didn’t comply with his demands. At the warehouse, he sexually assaulted her at knifepoint. This wasn’t a crime of opportunity; it was a calculated, pre-meditated attack fueled by malice.
Further investigation revealed Constanzo’s exploitation extended to a 17-year-old girl. In July 2021, he used his iPhone to record sexually explicit Facetime videos, adding another layer to his catalogue of abuses. Constanzo has remained detained since his arrest, and on February 22, 2025, he pleaded guilty to production of child pornography, admitting his crimes against all three victims as part of a plea agreement.
The investigation was a collaborative effort, involving Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Vermont State Police, the Chittenden County (Vt.) Sheriff’s Office, and the Torrington Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nancy V. Gifford and Neeraj N. Patel skillfully prosecuted the case. U.S. Attorney Sullivan also extended gratitude to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont and the State’s Attorney for the Litchfield Judicial District for their support.
This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood initiative, a vital program dedicated to protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. Anyone with information about child exploitation is urged to report it to the CyberTipline at www.cybertipline.com. While the sentence offers a measure of justice, the scars Constanzo inflicted will undoubtedly remain with his victims for life. State charges against Constanzo are still pending.
Related Federal Cases
- Torrington Predator Constanzo Sentenced to 25 Years for Sexual Exploitation of Minors · Vermont
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Key Facts
- State: Connecticut
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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