A Brooklyn high school employee was sentenced to 15 years in jail for the production of child pornography and the sextortion of a minor, United States Attorney Breon Peace announced.
Brian Quinones, 30, was sentenced this week by United States District Judge Hector Gonzalez in federal court. The Brooklyn man had previously pleaded guilty to his charges back in September of last year.
According to evidence from the investigation, Quinones — who worked as a teaching assistant at Midwood High School at the time — was found to have been trading multiple videos and images depicting child pornography with another individual between September 2019 and January 2020. The Brooklyn man used the instant messaging application WhatsApp to distribute and receive the illegal photos and videos.
After FBI agents conducted a court-authorized search of Quinones' home and seized his electronic devices, they discovered a series of sexually explicit messages between a male minor and Quinones — who was masquerading as a woman.
Quinones had tricked the victim into creating and sending numerous sexually explicit videos, which he then used as blackmail by threatening to post the content online unless the minor agreed to make more sexually explicit materials.
Investigators also came across a number of direct messages Quinones had made on Twitter with another user, where he discussed extortion plans and said incriminating things like: “Threaten him to do more... I like making boys into slaves[.]”
In addition to his 15-year prison sentence, Quinones will also be required to register as a sex offender following his release from prison.
“The defendant’s sextortion of a minor is unconscionable, cruel, and deserving of the punishment he received today in order to protect our communities for the lifetime of harm he has inflicted on his victims,” said Peace.
“I urge parents and caregivers to have frank conversations with their children about the dangers of communicating online with strangers who can pretend to be anyone or anything while making inappropriate requests for photos and videos.”
