US Daycare Provider Charged With Sexual Exploitation Of A Child And Production, Receipt Of Child Pornography
Bronx, March 11 (TNA) A daycare provider, whose primary work was to watch over neighborhood children instead allegedly abused that role in order to sexually exploit one of the minors under his care.
“Silfredo Castillo Martinez’s primary responsibility as a daycare provider was to watch over neighbourhood kids, but during the time when he was supposed to be protecting children, he also allegedly received, distributed, and possessed tens of thousands of images of child pornography. Castillo Martinez’s alleged conduct was unconscionable, and we will continue to work tirelessly to protect the children of our community,” U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said.
Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Freaney said: “The charges brought forth today allege reprehensible violation and exploitation committed by an individual who was expected to provide extraordinary trustworthiness and protection to the most vulnerable."
He added: "Our expert investigators and partners assigned to the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force have successfully brought this individual before our justice system to face these allegations. I am thankful for their continued dedication and unending work in our shared investigative priority to keep our children safe from harm.”
According to the allegations contained in the complaint from in or about July 2015 through in or about at least May 3, 2022, Martinez operated a licensed daycare facility for children at his residence in the Bronx, New York (the “Daycare Facility”).
From at least in or about May 2018 through at least in or about July 2018, he induced an 11-year-old minor who attended the Daycare Facility to engage in sexually explicit conduct at the Daycare Facility, and he recorded that conduct on his cellphone and camera.
On or about May 3, 2022, law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at his residence and seized several electronic devices belonging to him. Those devices contained, among other things, several images and a video containing child pornography depicting Minor Victim-1 and approximately 9,800 other images depicting child pornography.