NEW YORK — An NYPD officer accused of posing as a teenager and convincing minors to send sexually explicit images and videos to him via Twitter was charged in federal court Thursday, according to officials.
Carmine Simpson, of Holbrook, New York, a police officer at the NYPD's 75th Precinct, communicated with at least 46 children who appeared to be under age — between the ages of 13 and 17 — and received at least 18 sexually explicit images and 33 videos from children, according to court paperwork.
Court documents identify Simpson as 26 or 27, though he presented himself online as a 17-year-old and used a filter to make himself appear younger, officials said.
An FBI official testified that Simpson engaged in highly sexual conversation with the victims and requested the minors take sexually explicit videos and pictures, often times writing on themselves with marker.
“Instead of protecting the community as a sworn police officer, the defendant has preyed upon and sexually exploited the most vulnerable members,” said Acting United States Attorney DuCharme. “The protection of innocent children is a priority for the Department of Justice and this office will continue to make every effort to ensure that those who contribute to the victimization of children will be brought to justice.”
Officials reminded parents to be aware of the online habits of their children.
“Much of this activity occurs through popular social media sites," said FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge William Sweeney, "so I'd ask parents and guardians to take some time to talk with your children about their online activities. You are the first line of defense in protecting our youth from predators. A moment of your time can save a lifetime of trauma. If you believe someone is trying to entice or to sexually exploit your child, please report it to us by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI or going to tips.fbi.gov."
If convicted of sexual exploitation of a child, Simpson faces a minimum of 15 years in prison, officials said.
This article was written by Corey Crockett for WPIX.
