Louis Carusone of Webster NY faces 20 years in prison
From the US Attorney’s Office, image from Human Trafficking Awareness USA
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Louis Carusone, 45, of Webster, NY, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography involving prepubescent minors, before Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a lifetime period of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who is handling the case, stated that on October 10, 2022, Carusone, who was a high school physics teacher in the Brighton Central School District at the time, shared a video and images containing child pornography in an online peer-to-peer file-sharing network, which were downloaded by an undercover law enforcement officer. The officer then downloaded more files containing child pornography that were shared from Carusone’s IP address over the next few days.
On October 21, 2022, investigators executed a search warrant at Carusone’s Webster residence and seized multiple devices including a cell phone and computer. A forensic analysis recovered more than 2,000 images and videos of child pornography, some of which depicted children as young as five-years-old, and children being subjected to violence and sexual abuse. The forensic analysis further revealed that Carusone surreptitiously recorded and photographed children in public, to include minor female students in his Brighton classroom, and a water park, where he recorded children in bathing suits.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Rochester Child Exploitation Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia.
Sentencing is scheduled for February 21, 2024, before Judge Wolford.
