Joseph Valerio, Child Pornography, New York 2014

Long Island Man Sentenced to 60 Years in Prison for Child Pornography

Joseph Valerio, a 50-year-old resident of Smithtown, New York, has been sentenced to 60 years in prison for producing, transporting, receiving, and possessing child pornography. This lengthy prison sentence ensures that Valerio will never harm another child as long as he lives, and serves as a warning to anyone who victimizes children.

The evidence at trial showed that Valerio paid a woman in Ukraine to produce custom-made videos of child pornography that he scripted. The videos involved a then two-year-old girl, and were produced between April and November 2012. In addition, investigators found evidence of Valerio producing child pornography in the basement of his house involving a then six-year-old Long Island girl in September 2010.

Valerio was arrested in February 2014, after federal agents, joined by members of the Suffolk County Police Department, executed a search warrant at his residence. Investigators found several hidden cameras, computers, and a stage during the search.

The sentencing proceeding was held before United States District Judge Joseph F. Bianco, who also ordered Valerio to serve a lifetime term of supervised release to follow his prison sentence. Valerio will be required to register as a sex offender.

This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division, with Assistant United States Attorneys Ameet B. Kabrawala and Allen L. Bode in charge of the prosecution.

Valerio’s sentence is a result of a lengthy investigation by the FBI and the Suffolk County Police Department, with the assistance of the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force.

Related Federal Cases