New York man arrested on child exploitation charges
NEW YORK — A New York-area man was arrested Thursday on child exploitation charges following an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Robert Garneau is charged with communicating with three different underage victims online and convincing them to take sexually explicit photographs and send them to Garneau online. Garneau was arrested this morning and will appear in court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith McCarthy in White Plains federal court.
HSI Special Agent in Charge Angel M. Melendez said: “Today’s arrest should serve as a stern reminder to parents that, as kids spend more and more time on the internet and gaming consoles, parents must step up by teaching their kids how to spot internet predators and talking to them about who they talk to and what information they share. Those who look to exploit the most vulnerable in our society by hiding behind the wall of the internet will remain a top priority for HSI as we continue to identify and arrest these heinous criminals.”
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said: “Robert Garneau's alleged crimes are the nightmare of every modern parent. Using every day social media websites, Garneau allegedly exploited minors for his own sexual gratification. We will continue to work with our partners at Homeland Security Investigations to vigorously investigate and prosecute defendants who sexually exploit children.”
According to the complaint unsealed today in White Plains federal court:
From September 2014 to December 1, 2014, Garneau communicated online via Instagram and Kik with a then 12-year-old minor (“Victim-1”) in Vacaville, California, and convinced Victim-1 to take and send sexually-explicit photographs of Victim-1 to Garneau. On August 10, 2015, and July 18, 2015, GARNEAU engaged in the same type of activity with two more minors (“Victim-2” and “Victim-3”).
During his communications with his victims, Garneau utilized the screen names “Raptorr427,” “BobbySixx,” “Allison Denario” and/or “Giannafitz81.” Further, while communicating with his victims, Garneau posed as a minor and threatened his victims that if they did not send additional photos and/or videos, they would be arrested for the photos and/or videos they had already sent. With respect to Victim-2, Garneau also threatened to show the photos and videos to Victim-2’s Instagram followers.
There may be more victims of this alleged conduct. If you have information to report, contact HSI through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators. From outside the U.S. and Canada, callers should dial 802-872-6199. Hearing-impaired users can call TTY 802-872-6196.
Garneau, 21, of Warwick, New York, is charged with three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, each carrying a minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. The statutory maximum sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
This investigation was conducted under HSI’s Operation Predator, an international initiative to protect children from sexual predators. Since the launch of Operation Predator in 2003, HSI has arrested more than 14,000 individuals for crimes against children, including the production and distribution of online child pornography, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking of children. In fiscal year 2015, nearly 2,400 individuals were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative and more than 1,000 victims identified or rescued.
HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators. From outside the U.S. and Canada, callers should dial 802-872-6199. Hearing impaired users can call TTY 802-872-6196.
Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST.
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