An employee of a Sullivan County school district has by charged by New York State Police on multiple felony charges related to the possession and promotion of obscene material involving children.
26-year-old Christopher Dedonato was a math teacher at the Liberty School District and was charged with seven felony counts of promoting an obscene sexual performance by a child under the age of 17 and felony possessing an obscene sexual performance by a child under the age of 16.
Dedonato is accused of possessing and promoting images consistent with child sexual exploitation. The investigation was initiated following a cybertip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which led to the execution of a search warrant at Dedonato’s residence in Liberty, NY, on April 22.
This arrest is the result of a joint investigation conducted by the New York State Police Troop F Computer Crimes Unit, the Troop F Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) at Liberty, Troop F Violent Gang Narcotic Enforcement Team, Troop F Community Stabilization Unit and the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.
Dedonato was arraigned in Thompson Town Court and remanded to the Sullivan County Jail. Bail was set at $25,000 cash, $50,000 secured bond, or $100,000 partially secured bond. He is scheduled to appear in Town of Liberty Court today at 2:00 p.m.
The New York State Police ask that anyone with additional information related to this case contact the Bureau of Criminal Investigation at (845) 344-5300 and reference case number NY2500299403.
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