David Dion, a 47-year-old resident of Greenwich, New York, has pleaded guilty to charges related to the distribution and possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the FBI, and New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James.
Dion confessed to distributing CSAM through an encrypted chat messenger between July 2023 and January 2024. He also admitted to possessing images on five electronic devices during a search of his residence on February 28, 2024. Additionally, Dion created morphed images by superimposing faces of known children onto other CSAM images found online. Authorities discovered over 130,000 images across his devices.
Sentencing is set for June 13, 2025, before United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci. Dion could face a prison term ranging from five to twenty years, a maximum fine of $250,000, and supervised release lasting from five years to life. Sentencing will be determined based on the statute violated and U.S. Sentencing Guidelines among other factors. Dion may also be required to pay restitution to victims and forfeit the devices used in these offenses. Upon release from prison, he will have to register as a sex offender.
The case is being investigated by the FBI and NYSP with Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander P. Wentworth-Ping prosecuting.
Project Safe Childhood was launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat child exploitation via the Internet by coordinating federal, state, and local resources for prosecution and victim rescue efforts.
