Alden man sentenced for distrubution and receipt of child pornography; obstruction of justice

BUFFALO, N.Y.– U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Chad A. Salvatore, 40, of Alden, N.Y., who was convicted of distribution of child pornography, receipt of child pornography, and obstruction of justice, was sentenced to 20 years in prison and lifetime supervised release by Chief U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny.

            Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango, who handled the case, stated that between December 2, 2010 and December 15, 2010, an agent with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, downloaded graphic child pornography over the internet using a private peer-to-peer software program from a user who was later identified as the defendant. In addition, on December 15, 2010, Salvatore distributed child pornography to an FBI agent in Rochester, N.Y., as well as an agent with the Colorado Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

            During the investigation, it was also determined that on June 1, 2010 and July 11, 2010, Salvatore received child pornography from other individuals via email. Following the defendant’s distribution of child pornography, a search warrant was conducted at his residence on December 17, 2010. The defendant was not present at the time of the search warrant, but subsequently admitted that after being made aware of the search warrant, he destroyed a digital media device by snapping it in half.

            At the time of his arrest, it was revealed in court that the defendant was a foster parent to a young teenage child, despite having been convicted of molesting three children when Salvatore himself was a teenager.  

            "This case demonstrates the need for any social service agency that places children in home settings to have full access to the criminal history of the prospective care givers," said U.S. Attorney Hochul. "It also demonstrates that if you attempt to take advantage of, or in any way further the victimization of children, you will be prosecuted and could be sentenced to multiple years behind bars."   

            “This sentence should serve as a warning to those who are involved in any way with the distribution of child pornography," said James C. Spero, Special Agent in Charge for HSI Buffalo. "HSI will ensure this type of criminal activity is aggressively pursued and child predators are held accountable for their despicable behavior."

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

            The sentencing is the culmination of an investigation on the part of Special Agents of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of James C. Spero, Special Agent-In-Charge.