PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A registered sex offender investigated by federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies for possessing and distributing child pornography is facing between ten and twenty years in federal prison, having pled guilty today to possession of child pornography, announced Acting United States Attorney Richard B. Myrus.
Thomas Andreozzi, 60, of North Providence, is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy on November 17, 2021.
At a hearing today in U.S. District Court, the government detailed three separate investigations into Andreozzi’s criminal activity involving child pornography since a previous conviction in Rhode Island state court in November 2014 for possessing child pornography.
According to information presented to the court, in May 2020, Homeland Security Investigations received information that an IP address, later identified by law enforcement as belonging to Andreozzi, was used to upload child pornography via a social media platform. Further investigation determined that Andreozzi used at least five different accounts on the application to view and upload child pornography. Andreozzi communicated to another person via the app that “I have lots of young stuff.” “I have little girls,” and “I have lots.”
Separately, in June 2020, the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force received information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the Massachusetts ICAC that an individual in Rhode Island uploaded 14 files of child pornography. Further investigation determined that the IP address used belonged to Thomas Andreozzi.
Additionally, the FBI and the Winnebago County, Wisconsin, Sherriff’s department investigated the sharing of child pornography via a social media platform on July 20, 2020. The user claimed to be a 30-year-old in California who was actively molesting a young female. The FBI traced the IP address that shared the child pornography to Andreozzi’s North Providence apartment.
A cell phone in Andreozzi’s hand during a court-authorized search of his residence at the time of his arrest in July 2020, was opened to an electronic media storage service. A Rhode Island ICAC analyst observed numerous files containing child pornography stored in Andreozzi’s storage account. Also located on the phone was the social media application and user account brought to the attention of the FBI and the Winnebago County Sherriff’s office.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John P. McAdams.
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