Rebecca C. Lutzko United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio
A man from Lorain County, Ohio, has been sentenced to federal prison for trafficking child sexual abuse material. Robert L. Scarvelli, 52, of Sheffield Lake, received a sentence of 107 months in prison from U.S. District Judge David A. Ruiz after pleading guilty in September 2025 to charges related to the receipt and distribution of explicit material involving minors.
Scarvelli will also serve 15 years of supervised release following his imprisonment and must pay $5,000 in restitution to one of his victims.
Court documents state that between June 6 and August 31, 2024, Scarvelli knowingly received, distributed, and possessed digital files depicting children being sexually abused. Federal agents executing a search warrant at his residence found several electronic devices containing thousands of images and videos. Many files depicted sadistic acts involving children under the age of 12 or infants and toddlers. Over 100 videos lasted ten minutes or longer; one video showed abuse lasting nearly an hour.
The FBI Cleveland Division led the investigation resulting in Scarvelli’s indictment. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer J. King prosecuted the case for the Northern District of Ohio.
According to the press release: "This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The initiative is led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country and 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, visit justice.gov/PSC.
Reports of child exploitation can be made at cybertipline.org or by calling 1-800-843-5678 at any time.
