Connecticut Man Charged With Transportation And Interstate Travel With The Intent To Engage In Criminal Sexual Activity

 SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Christopher Capozza, age 39, of Newington, Connecticut, was indicted on February 3, 2021, by a federal grand jury for transportation with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, and interstate travel with the intent to engage in a sexual act with a minor.

According to Acting United States Attorney, Bruce D. Brandler, the indictment alleges that between July and October of 2020, Capozza travelled to Pennsylvania in order to engage in a sexual act with a minor, and also transported the minor back to Connecticut and also Massachusetts in order to engage in criminal sexual activity.

The charges stem from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Omaha, Nebraska Police Department, and the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Districts of Connecticut and Nebraska.  Assistant United States Attorney James Buchanan is prosecuting the case.

Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

The maximum penalties under federal law for these offenses is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant’s educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit  www.usdoj.gov/psc.  For more information about internet safety education, please visit  www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”