Registered sex offender named in three child pornography investigations sentenced to prison

A registered sex offender who was the subject of three separate law enforcement investigations for possessing and distributing child pornography was sentenced today to ten years in federal prison, announced Acting United States Attorney Richard B. Myrus.

Thomas Andreozzi, 60, of North Providence, convicted in Rhode Island state court in November 2014 for possessing child pornography, and ordered to register as a sex offender, was found by Homeland Security Investigations in May 2020 to be using an IP address and at least five different accounts on a social media platform to 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 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, in July 2020, the FBI and the Winnebago County, Wisconsin, Sherriff’s Department investigated the sharing of child pornography via a social media platform by a user who claimed to be a 30-year-old in California and who was actively molesting a young female. The FBI traced the IP address that was used to share the child pornography to Andreozzi’s North Providence apartment.

At the time of Andreozzi’s arrest in July 2020, a cell phone in his hand was found to be 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.

At sentencing today, Andreozzi, who pleaded guilty in August to possession of child pornography, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy to 120 months in federal prison to be followed by five years of federal supervised release.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John P. McAdams.