Operation Constant Vigilance: RAUL RESTO, 53, Waterbury Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing Child Pornography

David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that RAUL RESTO, 53, of Waterbury, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven to 12 months and one day of imprisonment, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for possessing child pornography.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 2, 2009, a Milford Police detective working with the Connecticut Computer Crimes Task Force conducted a keyword search over a peer-to-peer Internet file-sharing program using a phrase related to child pornography. As a result, the detective identified a user with a particular Internet Protocol (“IP”) address who was participating in the file-sharing program and permitting access to his saved child pornography files. The IP address was subsequently traced to RESTO.

On November 16, 2009, law enforcement investigators conducted a search of RESTO’s residence and seized a computer, disks, and other computer components. Analysis of the seized items revealed that RESTO possessed more than 600 images and videos of minors, including children under the age of 12, engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

On July 26, 2011, RESTO pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Connecticut Computer Crimes Task Force, which includes federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including the Milford Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anastasia E. King.

The Connecticut Computer Crimes Task Force investigates crimes occurring over the Internet, including computer intrusion, Internet fraud, copyright violations, Internet threats and harassment, and online crimes against children. The task force also provides computer forensic review services for participating agencies. The task force is housed in the main FBI office in New Haven. For more information about the task force, please contact the FBI at 203-777-6311.

This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative and the District of Connecticut’s “Operation Constant Vigilance,” which are aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.

http://www.justice.gov/usao/ct/Press2011/20111020-1.html