Newport woman sentenced to prison concerning explicit video involving toddler, photos of minors

PROVIDENCE – A Newport woman who solicited and received a video depicting the sexual exploitation of a toddler and an image depicting the sexual exploitation of prepubescent minors was sentenced today to five years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.

Karissa A. Cave, 25, pleaded guilty on February 26, 2020, to receipt of child pornography.

At the time of her guilty plea, Kave admitted to the court that, in December 2016, while communicating on Facebook messenger with a person known to her, she requested that the person send her a video that she knew the person possessed. The video depicted an adult engaged in sexually explicit conduct with a female toddler. After receiving the video, she asked, “Is there anymore?” In return, the person sent her an image of prepubescent girls and boys engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The government’s evidence showed that after receiving the video, Kave and the person who sent it to her engaged in graphic sexual chats about the video and the depicted toddler.

At sentencing today, U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., sentenced Cave to sixty months in federal prison to be followed by eight years of federal supervised release.

This Project Safe Childhood case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Denise M. Barton.

The matter was investigated by the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and Homeland Security Investigations, with the assistance of the Woonsocket Police Department.