JOSEPH AMADEO, Child Exploitation, Connecticut 2021

Defendant’s Guilty Plea Marks Latest Blow to Online Child Exploitation Rings

A disturbing trend of online child exploitation has claimed another victim in Connecticut. JOSEPH AMADEO, a 38-year-old resident of North Branford, pleaded guilty to a child exploitation offense in federal court, marking the latest blow to online child exploitation rings that continue to plague the nation.

According to court documents, in 2020, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) began probing Amadeo for his involvement in an online community of individuals who traded and distributed child pornography images and videos on the dark web.

On March 24, 2021, investigators executed a court-authorized search of Amadeo’s North Branford residence, seizing his computer and other electronic devices. Analysis of the devices revealed thousands of images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children, many as young as infants.

Amadeo’s arrest on June 3, 2021, brought an end to his alleged involvement in the online child exploitation ring. The registered sex offender, who was previously convicted of a similar crime in 2013, now faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years for his current offense.

U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson is set to sentence Amadeo on July 12 in Hartford. The defendant is currently out on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing.

This case is part of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut’s ongoing efforts to combat online child exploitation and protect the nation’s most vulnerable citizens. The prosecution is being led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda S. Oakes and Nancy V. Gifford.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut is urging citizens to report any cases of child exploitation to the authorities. For more information, visit www.cybertipline.com.

This matter is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). The case is being prosecuted as part of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut’s efforts to combat online child exploitation and protect the nation’s children.

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