Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany H. Lee, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in June 2015, the mother of a 13 year-old minor advised the Rochester Police Department that her child had been communicating with two men. According to the mother, DiFlorio was working as a Lifetouch school photographer and the mother had, at one point, attempted to communicate with DiFlorio to tell him to stay away from her child. According to the minor, the minor had communicated with the defendant using the application “Kik" and ended up meeting him in February 2015.
After taking over the minor’s phone, law enforcement officers received a text message from DiFlorio on June 22, 2015. Assuming the minor’s identity, an officer engaged in texts with the defendant and arranged for a meeting to occur on June 23, 2015, at a local fast food restaurant. DiFlorio arrived at the meeting and was confronted by law enforcement officers.
As to defendant Taouzinet, the mother told law enforcement officers that Taouzinet worked as a clerk at a local store. Officers reviewed the minor’s phone and uncovered texts between the minor and the defendant to include sexually explicit chats. Some chats involved the minor sending sexually explicit pictures to Taouzinet.
An officer, assuming the minor’s identity once again, engaged in texts with Taouzinet and arranged for a meeting on June 22, 2015. The defendant did not show up at the arranged time but texted later and asked to meet. Taouzinet was observed by law enforcement officers later on that date and was arrested.
DiFlorio and Taouzinet made an initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Marian W. Payson. They are being held pending a detention hearing on July 2, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. respectively.
The criminal complaint is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Child Exploitation Task Force which includes the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, the Rochester Police Department, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations with additional assistance provided by the Greece Police Department and the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
