New Jersey Man Charged With Sexual Exploitation Of A Child

BOSTON - A New Jersey man, charged with sexual exploitation, had his initial appearance today in U.S. District Court in Boston.

Anthony Scarano, 51, of Sayreville, New Jersey, was originally charged on February 26 via criminal complaint with sexual exploitation of a child, specifically with production of child pornography. Scarano arrived in Massachusetts today to face the charges.

According to documents filed in court, Scarano met a minor victim around October 2011 on a website called Motherless.com where they exchanged email addresses. It is alleged that the minor and Scarano, who at that time disclosed that he 32, developed a relationship shortly thereafter. It is alleged that sometime in 2012, Scarano sent the minor videos and images of himself in the nude and engaged in sexual activities. Scarano is alleged to have directed the minor to pose nude and perform sexual acts for him in videos.

The maximum sentence under the statute is 30 years to be followed by five years of supervised release. Scarano is scheduled for a detention hearing on March 22 at 2 p.m.

United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; Inspector in Charge Kevin M. Niland, U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Boston; Barnstable Police Chief Paul MacDonald; and Yarmouth Police Chief Frank Frederickson made the announcement today. The matter was jointly investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Cape Cod Computer Crime Unit, a regional task force that handles computer crimes and forensics.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dave Tobin of Ortiz’s Major Crimes Unit.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.