Colonel James M. Manni, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police and Director of the Department of Public Safety, announces that members of the Rhode Island Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force earlier today arrested David M. Lavoie, age 52, of 21 Anthony Street, Johnston for Possession of Child Pornography and Transfer of Child Pornography.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) recently reported to the ICAC Task Force that an individual was allegedly trading files of child pornography on the Internet. The Internet connection at 21 Anthony Street, Johnston was identified as sharing those files of child pornography. On Wednesday, June 12, 2019, ICAC Task Force members executed a court-authorized search warrant at the Johnston residence and identified child pornography on digital media within the home. Mr. Lavoie was identified as the alleged owner of this digital media.
Mr. Lavoie was arraigned at the Third Division District Court before Magistrate Joseph P. Ippolito, Jr. and was released on $10,000 personal recognizance bail with special conditions including no contact with minors and limited use of the Internet.
For the past seven years, Mr. Lavoie has been employed as a pediatric sleep technologist at Hasbro Children’s Hospital in Providence. At this time, there are no indications of any inappropriate behavior involving children at the hospital. However, this investigation is ongoing and anyone with further information regarding Mr. Lavoie is encouraged to contact the Rhode Island State Police/Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force at (401) 921-1170.
A person found guilty of Possession of Child Pornography may be subject to a fine of not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000), or imprisoned not more than five (5) years, or both. A person found guilty of Transfer of Child Pornography may be subject to a fine of not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000), or imprisoned not more than fifteen (15) years, or both.
The Rhode Island ICAC Task Force actively engages in investigative efforts to identify subjects involved in child exploitation-related activities. The Rhode Island ICAC Task Force Program is administered by the Rhode Island State Police and supports a national network of multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task forces engaged in investigations, forensic examinations, and prosecutions related to Internet crimes against children and technology-facilitated child sexual exploitation.
The Rhode Island ICAC Task Force is comprised of members of the Rhode Island State Police Computer Crimes Unit along with detectives from the Warwick Police Department, Cranston Police Department, Newport Police Department, East Providence Police Department, Pawtucket Police Department, Bristol Police Department, North Kingstown Police Department, Woonsocket Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations.
