PROVIDENCE, R.I. — In a chilling turn of events, Sami-Joe Daou, 27, of Warwick, has pleaded guilty in federal court to possessing and distributing child pornography. This disturbing admission came after a joint investigation by federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies revealed Daou’s involvement with explicit images of minors.
Standing before U.S. District Court Chief Judge William E. Smith, Daou admitted to one count of possession of visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexual explicit conduct and one count of distribution of visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexual explicit conduct. United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division; Acting Colonel Ann C. Assumpico of the Rhode Island State Police; and Cranston Police Chief Colonel Michael J. Winquist were among those announcing Daou’s guilty plea.
The court heard that in March 2015, Daou stored sexually explicit images involving a pre-teenage female on his computer, with at least one image being shared via Facebook. In July 2015, he also stored video files depicting sexual contact with a 17-year-old female.
Scheduled for sentencing on February 24, 2017, Daou faces severe penalties. Distribution of child pornography is punishable by up to 20 years imprisonment, with a mandatory minimum term of five years; possession carries a penalty of up to 10 years. Additionally, he could serve a maximum life term of supervised release.
The case against Daou was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Milind M. Shah. The investigation was led by the Rhode Island State Police Computer Crimes Unit, the Cranston Police Department, and the FBI.
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Key Facts
- State: Rhode Island
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime|Sex Crimes|Cybercrime|Public Corruption|Weapons|Human Trafficking|White Collar Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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