Tonawanda Woman Going to Prison for Child Pornography

BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Maria D’Amato, 30, of Tonawanda, NY, who was convicted of receipt of child pornography, was sentenced to serve 108 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.   

Assistant U.S. Attorney Franz M. Wright, who handled the case, stated that in June 2022, D’Amato knowingly received images and videos of child pornography from a minor female on her cellular telephone. D’Amato met the 14-year-old Victim through another 14-year-old. She communicated with the Victim via text, and online applications, such as Snapchat. D’Amato and the Victim engaged in sexual acts, which D’Amato recorded using her cellular telephone or the Victim’s cellular telephone. Videos record on the Victim’s cell phone would be sent to D’Amato at her request.

The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, and the Town of Tonawanda Police Department, under the direction of Chief James Stauffiger.