MAN ARRESTED FOR USING THE INTERNET TO ENTICE
A MINOR GIRL FOR SEXUAL ACTIVITY AND
POSSESSION OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

MICHAEL J. GARCIA, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, MARK J. MERSHON, Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and RAYMOND W. KELLY, Police Commissioner of the City of New York, announced that JOSEPH GIANCASPRO was arrested today on charges of using the Internet to entice someone he believed to be a fourteen year-old girl to engage in sexual activities and possession of child pornography. According to the Complaint filed yesterday in Manhattan federal court:

In April 2006, GIANCASPRO engaged in Internet conversations with "Mary," an individual he believed to be a fourteen year-old girl, but who was actually an undercover officer with the New York City Police Department ("NYPD"). During these conversations, GIANCASPRO proposed meeting "Mary" and engaging in sexual activities with her.

On April 12, 2006, GIANCASPRO initiated an instant messaging ("IM") conversation with "Mary" on "www.localhookupz.com" and, later, on America Online. During those IM conversations, "Mary" asked GIANCASPRO "u care Im 14," and GIANCASPRO replied "That ok . . . no if you don't care im 42." GIANCASPRO suggested that he and "Mary" meet in person to go "shopping and have fun the following week."

During subsequent IM conversations with “Mary” initiated by GIANCASPRO over the next few days, he asked "Mary" several times if she was interested in having sex with him and suggested meeting to have sex. GIANCASPRO asked "Mary" to call him on his cell phone and provided his cell number.

During an IM conversation on April 25, 2006, between GIANCASPRO and "Mary," GIANCASPRO stated "...you seem more mature then some older girls i no as long as your not setting me up or something your not in law enforcement or anything or are not working with them i dont want to get there and end up in jail." They agreed to meet in Manhattan later that day.

A second officer from the NYPD, who had the appearance of a teenage girl, acted in an undercover capacity as "Mary" and met GIANCASPRO at a prearranged location. During that meeting, the two agreed to go to "Mary’s" home after she indicated that her mother was not there. When "Mary" led GIANCASPRO into the foyer of a building where she said she lived with her mother, GIANCASPRO was arrested by the New York City Police Department. He was carrying three condoms.

After being arrested, GIANCASPRO consented to a search of his computer at his workplace. The NYPD found fifteen images of child pornography depicting minors engaged in various sexually explicit conduct on that computer.

The Complaint charges GIANCASPRO with one count of using the Internet to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce an individual younger than 18 years-old to engage in sexual activity and one count of receiving child pornography. If convicted on the first count, the defendant faces a mandatory minimum prison term of five years and a maximum prison term of 30 years. If convicted on the second count, GIANCASPRO faces a mandatory prison term of five years and a maximum term of 20 years.

The defendant appeared before United States Magistrate Judge GABRIEL W. GORENSTEIN in Manhattan federal court today and was detained pending satisfaction of his bail conditions.

Mr. GARCIA praised the investigative efforts of the NYPD and the FBI in this case and also thanked the Manhattan District Attorney's Office for its help and cooperation.

Assistant United States Attorney MICHAEL D. MAIMIN is in charge of the prosecution.

The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

07-218

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