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Press Release

District Man Pleads Guilty To Possession Of Child PornographyOver 3,000 Images And 267 Videos Seized In Search Of Defendant’s Residence

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Columbia

     WASHINGTON – Michael Centanni, 48, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to a federal charge of possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. and Clark E. Settles, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Washington, D.C.

     Centanni entered the plea in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. He is to be sentenced on April 9, 2015 by the Honorable Senior Judge Thomas F. Hogan. The charge carries a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison and potential financial penalties. He also will be required to register as a sex offender for a minimum period of 15 years.

     Centanni was arrested on Oct. 30, 2014 following an investigation by HSI. According to a statement of offense signed by the defendant as well as the government, the investigation determined that Centanni had been using the Internet to obtain child pornography files.

     Law enforcement searched Centanni’s residence on Oct. 14, 2014 and seized hard drives and other electronic media. A subsequent examination identified more than 3,000 images and 267 videos depicting child pornography. Centanni has been in custody since his arrest. In an interview with law enforcement, he admitted obtaining images and videos depicting child pornography and storing it on the electronic devices seized during the search.

     In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Machen and Special Agent in Charge Settles commended the work of the HSI Special Agents who investigated the case and expressed appreciation for the assistance of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). They also expressed appreciation for the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassidy Kesler Pinegar, who prosecuted the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ari Redbord, who assisted in the investigation.

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Updated February 19, 2015