E.P. Man Pleads Guilty to 4 Child Pornography Charges

An East Providence man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court on Tuesday, March 12, to four child pornography charges.

David Crisostomi, 37, pleaded guilty to three counts of using a minor to manufacture child pornography, and one count each of possessing and distributing child pornography, according to United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha’s office.

Crisostomi is scheduled to be sentenced on May 29. He could face up to 30 years in prison.

Crisostomi has been in federal custody since his arrest on February 16, 2012

Appearing before U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., Crisostomi admitted to the court that on at least three occasions he participated in the recording of child pornography with a prepubescent minor. He also admitted to the court that he downloaded and shared child pornography with others.

According to information presented to the court on January 6, 2012, an undercover agent from the FBI’s Innocent Images Operations Unit observed that a user later identified as Crisostomi was online and was sharing two folders containing child pornography.  Three days later, an undercover agent observed that Crisostomi was online and was now sharing four folders containing child pornography.

On February 16, 2012, agents from the FBI and the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force executed a federal search warrant at Crisostomi’s residence and seized numerous images and videos depicting child pornography, computers and other electronic devices. 

At sentencing, Crisostomi faces a minimum statutory sentence of 15 years imprisonment and up to 30 years imprisonment for using a minor to produce child pornography; a minimum statutory sentence of 5 years imprisonment and up to 20 years imprisonment for distribution of child pornography; and up to 10 years imprisonment for possessing child pornography.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.