Registered Sex Offender Sentenced to 45 Years' Imprisonment for Attempting to Sexually Exploit Minors and Distributing Child Pornography

Press Release

Defendant Enticed Victims on Social Media by Pretending to Be a Modeling Scout

Earlier today, in federal court in <_w3a_sdt combobox="t" id="-436131530"><_w3a_listitem listvalue="Choose an item."> <_w3a_listitem datavalue="Brooklyn" listvalue="Brooklyn"> <_w3a_listitem datavalue="Central Islip" listvalue="Central Islip"> Brooklyn, Davis Burgos-Collazo was sentenced by United States District Judge Pamela K. Chen to 45 years in prison for five counts of attempted sexual exploitation of a minor, two counts of distributing child pornography, one count of accessing child pornography with intent to view it and one count of committing a felony sexual offense involving minors while being a registered sex offender. As part of the sentence, the Court ordered Burgos-Collazo to pay restitution of $33,000. Burgos-Collazo was convicted by a federal jury in July 2022 following a one-week trial.

Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and Christie M. Curtis, Acting Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the <_w3a_sdt dropdown="t" id="-482921970" sdttag="Topics" title="Topics"><_w3a_listitem datavalue="charges" listvalue="charges"> <_w3a_listitem datavalue="deferred prosecution agreement" listvalue="deferred prosecution agreement"> <_w3a_listitem datavalue="extradition" listvalue="extradition"> <_w3a_listitem datavalue="extraditions" listvalue="extraditions"> <_w3a_listitem datavalue="guilty plea" listvalue="guilty plea"> <_w3a_listitem datavalue="guilty pleas" listvalue="guilty pleas"> <_w3a_listitem datavalue="investigation" listvalue="investigation"> <_w3a_listitem datavalue="sentence" listvalue="sentence"> <_w3a_listitem datavalue="sentences" listvalue="sentences"> <_w3a_listitem datavalue="settlement" listvalue="settlement"> <_w3a_listitem datavalue="verdict" listvalue="verdict"> <_w3a_listitem datavalue="verdicts" listvalue="verdicts"> sentence.

"It has been proven that the defendant is an extremely dangerous predator, who, while being a registered sex offender, coerced a 10 year old child to perform sex acts for him on Instagram and threatened the child when she pleaded that he leave her alone. And sadly, she was not the only vulnerable victim," stated United States Attorney Peace. "With today's sentence, the goal of incapacitating this master manipulator and sextortionist has been achieved. We are dedicated to protecting our children from those who weaponize social media in order to sexually exploit and harm them."

As set forth in the government's sentencing memorandum and related court proceedings, in 2020, Burgos-Collazo used at least 26 Instagram accounts to attempt to sexually exploit children as young as nine years old. The defendant enticed the victims by pretending to be a modeling scout and by using accounts with names like "future models" and "preteen beauty pics." After the defendant coerced a 10 year old victim into performing live sex acts for him on Instagram and she pleaded with him to leave her alone, he threatened to post a naked picture of her online for her friends to see if she refused to provide him with additional sexually explicit materials. The FBI recovered over 100 photos and videos of child pornography on the defendant's phone. Burgos-Collazo committed these crimes while he was a registered sex offender. In March 2006, he was convicted of sexually abusing and attempting to sexually abuse multiple minors, all of whom were under the age of eleven, and one as young as seven.

This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys' 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 to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

The government's case is being handled by the Office's Civil Rights Section. Assistant United States <_w3a_sdt dropdown="t" id="1719781811"><_w3a_listitem listvalue="Choose an item."> <_w3a_listitem datavalue="Attorney" listvalue="Attorney"> <_w3a_listitem datavalue="Attorneys" listvalue="Attorneys"> Attorneys Rachel Shanies and John O. Enright are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Anna November.

The <_w3a_sdt dropdown="t" id="1174685880"><_w3a_listitem listvalue="Choose an item."> <_w3a_listitem datavalue="Defendant" listvalue="Defendant"> <_w3a_listitem datavalue="Defendants" listvalue="Defendants"> Defendant:

DAVIS BURGOS-COLLAZO
Age: 45
Queens, <_w3a_sdt id="1586800551">New York

E.D.N.Y. Docket No.: 20-CR-492 (PKC)

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Updated September 5, 2024