David Dion, a 47-year-old resident of Greenwich, New York, has pleaded guilty to charges related to the distribution and possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, alongside Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the FBI, and New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James.
Dion confessed to distributing images and videos of CSAM through an encrypted chat messenger between July 2023 and January 2024. He also admitted to possessing over 130,000 images on five electronic devices when his residence was searched on February 28, 2024. Furthermore, Dion acknowledged creating morphed images by superimposing non-pornographic images of known children onto other CSAM images found online.
The sentencing is set for June 13, 2025, before United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci. Dion faces a prison sentence ranging from five to twenty years, a maximum fine of $250,000, and supervised release from five years to life. The judge will determine the sentence based on various factors including statutory guidelines and U.S. Sentencing Guidelines. Dion may also be required to pay restitution to victims and forfeit devices used in these offenses. Additionally, he will need to register as a sex offender after his release.
The investigation is being conducted by the FBI and NYSP with Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander P. Wentworth-Ping prosecuting the case.
This case falls under Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child exploitation via the Internet through coordinated efforts across federal, state, and local levels.