District Man Convicted of Possession of Child Pornography

Defendant Collected More Than 100,000 Images of Child Pornography

WASHINGTON—Diego Fasolini, 43, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to one count of possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr.; James W. McJunkin, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office; and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

Fasolini appeared today before the Honorable Beryl A. Howell in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. He faces a maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for July 1, 2011.

According to a factual proffer of evidence presented during today’s court proceeding, on October 18, 2010, Fasolini, who at the time was a professor at George Washington University, brought his computer hard drive to one of the university’s computer centers for a technical problem. Upon additional examination of the contents of the hard drive a few days later, university employees observed suspected child pornography and contacted the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force.

On October 28, 2010, law enforcement obtained and executed a search warrant to search Fasolini’s computer equipment and confirmed that it contained child pornography. The defendant was then arrested. During the course of the investigation, law enforcement searched additional computer equipment, including items at Fasolini’s residence. Forensic analysis confirmed that Fasolini had collected more than 100,000 images of child pornography.

This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood initiative and investigated by the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of the Metropolitan Police Department.

In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Machen, Assistant Director McJunkin, and Chief Lanier commended the work of the MPD detectives and special agents of the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force. They also acknowledged the efforts of U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Investigator John Marsh. Finally, they commended Assistant U.S. Attorney David B. Kent, who is prosecuting this case.