Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and William F. Sweeney Jr., the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced that MARK IRIZARRY was sentenced yesterday in Manhattan federal court to 20 years in prison for attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity and possession and distribution of child pornography.  IRIZARRY pled guilty to these charges on June 15, 2018.  United States District Court Judge Valerie E. Caproni imposed yesterday’s sentence.     

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said:  “Mark Irizarry admitted to the unconscionable crime of attempting to entice a nine-year-old child to have sex with him.  He will now serve 20 years in prison, where he will be unable to harm children.”

FBI Assistant Director William F. Sweeney Jr. said:  “Child predators like Mark Irizarry are among our society’s most heinous offenders, and the conduct in which he attempted to engage almost defies comprehension.  Irizzary’s sentence insures he will be locked away in a place where he will be unable to harm children.  The FBI, though our Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, will continue to work tirelessly to protect our nation’s children.”

According to the Indictment and other filings in Manhattan federal court:

Between November 2017 and December 2017, IRIZARRY used an online social media application to send undercover law enforcement officers more than 80 unique image and video files known to contain child pornography.  The child pornography sent by IRIZARRY included depictions of prepubescent children, including infants and toddlers, engaged in sexual activity with other children or adults.  During these conversations with one of the undercover officers, IRIZARRY stated that he wanted to have sex with the undercover officer’s nine-year-old child and that he wanted to film the act on his cellphone.  IRIZARRY and the undercover officer planned a meeting time and location to carry out IRIZARRY’s plan; IRIZARRY was arrested on the date and at the location that he said he would meet the undercover law officer.  When he was arrested, IRIZARRY possessed several bags of candy and condoms.  After his arrest, law enforcement officers recovered approximately 18,000 uniquely named image files and 2,700 uniquely named video files, mostly consistent with child pornography, on remote computing platform accounts that IRIZARRY created.

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In addition to his prison term, IRIZARRY, 28, of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced to 10 years of supervised release and restitution in amount to be determined by the Court at a later date.

Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and thanked the New York City Police Department for their assistance.

This case is being prosecuted by the Office’s General Crimes Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas W. Chiuchiolo is in charge of the prosecution.