Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Angel M. Melendez, Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (“ICE”), Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), announced that MATTHEW GOLDFARB was sentenced in White Plains federal court today to 12 years in prison for distribution of child pornography. GOLDFARB pled guilty to one count of distributing child pornography in June 2015 before United States District Judge Cathy Seibel, who imposed today’s sentence.
U.S. Attorney Bharara stated: “By distributing child pornography, Matthew Goldfarb further victimized the children depicted in those horrifying images and videos, and helped sustain and perpetuate the market for such vile materials. Today’s sentence serves as a reminder that law enforcement will do all we can to protect children from predators who make and distribute child pornography.”
Special Agent-in-Charge Melendez stated: “Today's sentencing removes a dangerous and disturbed sexual predator like Mr. Goldfarb from our community, making it safer for all those that live in it, especially our children. We are committed to protecting the most vulnerable in our society through outreach efforts to educate our communities as well as enforcement.”
According to the Complaint, the Information, other documents in the public record, and statements made in open court:
Between July and November 2014, GOLDFARB distributed child pornography over the Internet through the use of peer-to-peer file-sharing software. A forensic examination of GOLDFARB’s laptop computer, which was seized by HSI agents during the execution of a search warrant at GOLDFARB’s residence, revealed 455 images and 748 videos containing child pornography. The images and videos included depictions of adults performing sex acts with prepubescent children, and many of the videos were over an hour in length. On June 24, 2015, GOLDFARB pled guilty to distribution of child pornography before Judge Seibel, and was released on home detention prior to sentencing.
In August 2015, while on release, GOLDFARB resumed trading child pornography over the Internet. GOLDFARB posted the following statement on the photo-sharing website iMGSRC.RU: “Trade young boys and girls. Send to receive. No empty emails.” GOLDFARB created a new Gmail account, and used it to trade child pornography with other individuals. GOLDFARB used a Kindle tablet, which he hid between the box springs in his bed, to access the Internet and trade child pornography. In one email exchange with another individual interested in trading child pornography, GOLDFARB wrote, “I got arrested for porn so I am not supposed to use the internet. I use a tablet bc I can hide it.”
On October 30, 2015, HSI agents executed a second search warrant at GOLDFARB’s residence, and also executed a search warrant on his newly created Gmail account. They discovered that GOLDFARB’s Gmail account contained an additional 540 images and 102 videos containing child pornography that GOLDFARB had sent and/or received between August and October 2015. That same day, GOLDFARB was arrested and ordered detained until sentencing.
GOLDFARB’s emails also revealed that, in addition to trading child pornography, GOLDFARB had engaged in a series of exchanges in which he discussed ideas for kidnapping young boys and raping them. In one email, GOLDFARB wrote: “[Y]ou can’t get one near houses during the day. Find a path that has trees on both sides and you are good. If you find someone walking alone at night tackle him, knock him out, tie up hands, throw into car drive away.” GOLDFARB also expressed his intention to use his time in prison to come up with ideas for committing such crimes against children, writing that, “It’s going to give me ideas on how to lock my boy up anyways.”
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In addition to the prison sentence, GOLDFARB, 24, of Wappingers Falls, New York, was sentenced to lifetime supervision after his release. GOLDFARB was also ordered to pay a total of $24,000 in restitution to victims of his crime.
Mr. Bharara praised the outstanding efforts of HSI.
The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney George Turner is in charge of the prosecution.