High School Teacher Arrested for Alleged Possession of Child Pornography

WACO, Texas – A Belton High School teacher was arrested Thursday on criminal charges related to his alleged possession of visual depictions of sexual activities by minors.

According to court documents, Pietro Victor Giustino, 39, allegedly possessed and attempted to possess child sexual abuse material, including depictions of minors engaged in sexual intercourse.

Giustino made his initial appearance in a federal court in Waco today and, if convicted, faces up to 10 years in prison and a maximum $250,000 fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.

The FBI is investigating the case with assistance from the Belton Police Department, and with cooperation from the Belton Independent School District.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Gloff is prosecuting the case.

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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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.justice.gov/psc.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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