Woonsocket Man Sentenced for Possessing 50,000 Images of Child Pornography

 PROVIDENCE – A Woonsocket man found by members of the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force to be in possession of more than 50,000 images and 200 videos of child pornography was sentenced today to three-and-a-half years in federal prison.

In November 2018, members of the ICAC Task Force conducted an online child exploitation investigation involving the use of peer-to-peer networks. Detectives observed an IP address they later determined belonged to Jason P. Muschiano, 39, sharing files of child pornography.

On February 14, 2019, members of the task force executed a court-authorized search of Muschiano’s residence. During the search, Muschiano admitted to law enforcement that he had previously downloaded and viewed child pornography depicting toddlers ages three, four, and five. A forensic audit of digital storage devices seized from Muschiano’s residence revealed more than 50,000 images and 200 videos depicting child pornography.

On February 21, 2020, Muschiano pled guilty in U.S. District Court to possession of child pornography. He was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy to 42 months in federal prison to be followed by five years of federal supervised release.

Muschiano’s sentence is announced by Acting United States Attorney Richard B. Myrus.

This Project Safe Childhood case, investigated by members of the ICAC Task Force, was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dulce Donovan.

The Rhode Island ICAC Task Force is comprised of members of the Rhode Island State Police Computer Crimes Unit, detectives from the Warwick, Cranston, Newport, East Providence, Pawtucket, Bristol, and Portsmouth Police Departments, and agents from Homeland Security Investigations.