Registered sex offender sentenced to 35 years in prison for child pornography

NEW YORK – A registered sex offender was sentenced to 35 years in prison for receiving and distributing child pornography over the Internet, possessing child pornography and sending obscene material to a 15-year-old boy. The sentence stems from an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department (PCSD), the Yorktown Police Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York (SDNY), the Putnam County District Attorney’s Office and the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in related court proceedings:

On Oct. 7, 2009, Jonathan Delaura, 39, of Jefferson Valley, pleaded guilty in Bronx County Court to sexual misconduct. His victim was a 12-year-old boy. He was sentenced in December 2009 to six years of probation and ordered to register with the New York State Sex Offender Registry.

On Dec. 14, 2010, after the Westchester Probation Department discovered that Delaura was teaching tennis to children in Putnam County, under the alias "Jon Dulak," his probation was revoked and he was sentenced to a one-year term of imprisonment.

Delaura was released from prison in April 2011. From May 5, 2011, through May 10, 2011, Delaura distributed files containing images and videos of child pornography over the Internet via a peer-to-peer networking program.

In November 2011, Delaura contacted a 15-year-old boy in an Internet chat room using the screen name "sillyrabbit" and claimed to be a 17-year-old girl. After an exchange of messages, Delaura sent obscene photographs to the victim. Thereafter, Delaura sexually abused the victim. On Feb. 2, 2012, Delaura was arrested by officers from the PCSD. After his arrest, PCSD officers executed a search warrant at his residence and recovered an iPod, which contained approximately 162 videos containing images of child pornography and approximately 5 still photos of images containing child pornography. The iPod also contained the obscene photographs that were sent to the victim.

On Dec. 12, 2012, Delaura pleaded guilty in Putnam County Superior Court to two counts of Criminal Sexual Act in the 3rd Degree. Those charges related to Delaura’s abuse of the victim. On April 2, 2013, Delaura entered a guilty plea in federal court to receiving and distributing child pornography in May 2011; possessing child pornography in February 2012; transferring obscene material to the victim in November 2011; and, committing these acts while registered as a sex offender.

Following Delaura’s arrest in February 2012, an additional victim disclosed repeated sexual abuse by Delaura in 2010 that began when the victim was 14 years old and Delaura was the victim’s tennis instructor.

In sentencing Delaura, Judge Karas stated that the defendant caused "indescribable pain" to the victims and their parents.

Delaura has not yet been sentenced in Putnam County. Pursuant to his agreement with the Putnam County District Attorney’s Office, Putnam County will recommend consecutive sentences of one-and-a-third to four years on each of the counts to run concurrent with the federal sentence.

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 10,000 individuals for crimes against children, including producing and distributing online child pornography, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking of children. In fiscal year 2013, more than 2,000 individuals were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative.

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. 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.

For additional information about wanted suspected child predators, download HSI's Operation Predator smartphone app or visit the online suspect alerts page.

HSI is a founding member and current chair of the Virtual Global Taskforce, an international alliance of law enforcement agencies and private industry sector partners working together to prevent and deter online child sexual abuse.

The case is being handled by the White Plains Division. Assistant United States Attorney Marcia S. Cohen is in charge of the prosecution.