NEWARK, N.J. - A Hudson County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 480 months in prison for coercing a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct while he photographed the abuse, Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick announced.
Felix Restitullo, 42, of Jersey City, New Jersey, was convicted in May 2017 of one count of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography following a two-week trial before U.S. District Judge William H. Walls. The jury deliberated less than three hours before returning the guilty verdicts. Judge Walls imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:
Restitullo resided with his mother, who acted as caregiver to children, including the victim, an underage girl. On March 13, 2014, as a result of an ongoing investigation into the sexual abuse of minor children, law enforcement officers interviewed the victim, who told the officers that Restitullo had sexually abused her and photographed it.
Restitullo was arrested and charged by the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office with aggravated sexual assault and endangering the welfare of the girl. In connection with his arrest, officers searched Restitullo’s bedroom and recovered a camera and multiple electronic media devices belonging to Restitullo.
A forensic examination of the devices was performed, and law enforcement agents identified photographs that depicted the victim’s sexual abuse saved on a thumb drive found in Restitullo’s closet. Agents identified more than 3,000 images and more than 350 videos of child sexual abuse.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Walls sentenced Restitullo to lifetime supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney Fitzpatrick credited special agents of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Debra Parker, Newark field office, and the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Esther Suarez, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melissa M. Wangenheim and Justin Herring of the Criminal Division in Newark.
Defense counsel: Mario Blanch Esq., West New York, New Jersey
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
