Cranston Man Living Near Park View Middle School Arrested for Alleged for Child Porn Possession, Transfer

A 29-year-old Cranston man living less than 1,000 feet from Park View Middle School has been charged with possession and transfer of child pornography.

Police said Roy Costa, 29, of 122 Park View Blvd., Apt. 1, was identified as a suspect who transmitted images of child porn from an Internet connection at the address.

The investigation began after a report from a National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, said Col. Steven G. O’Donnell, superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police.

Members of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force obtained a search warrant during the investigation and raided the apartment Wednesday morning.

A forensic examination of digital media at the house revealed images and videos of child porn. Task force members also were able to identify Costa as the person who allegedly transferred the images.

Costa is due to be arraigned later today in Third Division District Court in Warwick.

person found guilty of Possession of Child Pornography may be subject to a fine of not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000), or imprisoned not more than five (5) years, or both. A person found guilty of Transfer of Child Pornography may be subject to a fine of not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000), or imprisoned not more than fifteen (15) years, or both.

The Rhode Island Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force actively engages in investigative efforts to identify subjects involved in child exploitation-related activities. The Rhode Island ICAC Task Force Program is administered by the Rhode Island State Police and supports a national network of multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task forces engaged in investigations, forensic examinations, and prosecutions related to Internet crimes against children and technology-facilitated child sexual exploitation. The Rhode Island ICAC Task Force is comprised of members of the Rhode Island State Police Computer Crimes Unit along with detectives from the Coventry Police Department, Warwick Police Department, North Smithfield Police Department, Pawtucket Police Department, North Kingstown Police Department, Portsmouth Police Department, Bristol Police Department, South Kingstown Police Department, Woonsocket Police Department, and special agents from Homeland Security Investigations and United States Postal Inspection Services.