Investigators seized 600 videos and more than 175,000 images of child pornography
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - A West Warwick man who possessed more than 600 videos and 175,000 images of child pornography was sentenced today to 60 months in federal prison and ordered to pay restitution to two of his victims.
Matthew E. Pasetti, 36, was arrested in December 2015 after members of the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force and agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) executed a court authorized search of his residence, and a brief forensic examination of a digital storage device in Pasetti’s possession disclosed that it contained child pornography.
Pasetti pleaded guilty on Oct. 14, 2016, to possession of child pornography and distribution of child pornography.
At sentencing, U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell also ordered Pasetti to serve 10 years of supervised release upon completion of his term of incarceration and to pay restitution totaling $5,000 to two victims identified in the videos and photographs and whose identity is known.
The U.S. Sentencing Guidelines imprisonment range in this matter is 151-188 months. The government recommended the court impose a sentence of 60 months imprisonment.
Matthew Pasetti’s sentence is announced by United States Attorney Stephen G. Dambruch, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police Colonel Ann C. Assumpico and Acting Special Agent in Charge of HSI for New England Michael S. Shea.
According to court documents, in October 2015, members of the ICAC Task Force identified an Internet Protocol (IP) address that was sharing child pornography. An ICAC and HSI investigation determined that the IP address was registered to Matthew Pasetti at his West Warwick residence. A court authorized search of Pasetti’s residence on Dec. 2, 2015, by ICAC Task Force members and HSI agents resulted in the seizure a laptop computer and several digital storage devices. A forensic examination of the electronic equipment resulted in the discovery of approximately 600 videos and 175,000 images depicting child pornography.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gerard B. Sullivan.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
