Source: United States Department of Justice News
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Patrick J. Freaney, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of the United States Secret Service (“USSS”), Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and Keechant L. Sewell, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced today that SILFREDO CASTILLO MARTINEZ was charged with sexual exploitation of a child and production of child pornography as well as receipt, distribution, and possession of child pornography. CASTILLO MARTINEZ will be presented today before United States Magistrate Judge Gabriel W. Gorenstein.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Silfredo Castillo Martinez’s primary responsibility as a daycare provider was to watch over neighborhood children. Instead, he allegedly abused that role in order to sexually exploit one of the minors under his care. 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.”
USSS 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. 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.”
FBI Assistant Director Michael J. Driscoll said: “The crimes Castillo Martinez stands charged with today are nearly unimaginable. As alleged, while operating a licensed day care facility, he enticed an 11-year-old child to engage in sexually-explicit conduct and made recordings of the conduct. Our children are some of our society’s most vulnerable members, and protecting them from predators remains a top priority for the FBI. We encourage anyone who believes they may have information relevant to this investigation to contact us at 1-800-CALL-FBI or online at tips.fbi.gov.”
NYPD Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell said: “This investigation highlights the most important function of law enforcement in our society: protecting the vulnerable against criminal predators who would seek to abuse, exploit, and harm them. Today’s charges affirm, again, that the NYPD and our partners will never abate our efforts to keep children safe – and we will relentlessly pursue anyone who targets them. To that end, I thank and commend the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District, the United States Secret Service, the New York Field Office of the FBI, and every investigator who worked on this important case.”
According to the allegations contained in the Complaint:[1]
From in or about July 2015 through in or about at least May 3, 2022, CASTILLO 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, CASTILLO MARTINEZ induced an 11-year-old minor (“Minor Victim-1”) who attended the Daycare Facility to engage in sexually explicit conduct at the Daycare Facility, and CASTILLO MARTINEZ recorded that conduct on his cellphone and camera.
On or about May 3, 2022, law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at CASTILLO MARTINEZ’s residence and seized several electronic devices belonging to CASTILLO MARTINEZ. 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.
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CASTILLO MARTINEZ, 32, of the Bronx, New York, is charged with one count of sexual exploitation of a child, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison; one count of receipt and distribution of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison; and one count of possession of child pornography, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The minimum and maximum potential penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Any individuals who believe they have information that may be relevant to this investigation should contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or https://tips.fbi.gov.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the USSS’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the FBI, and the NYPD. Mr. Williams also thanked the Bronx County District Attorney’s Office for its assistance.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jackie Delligatti is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint constitutes only allegations, and every fact described herein should be treated as an allegation.