Overview
- Carmine Simpson, a former NYPD officer, was sentenced to 23 years in federal prison on May 16, 2025, for sexually exploiting minors online.
- Simpson used deceptive Twitter profiles, pretending to be a 17-year-old, to groom children and coerce them into sending explicit photos and videos.
- Victims, including a 13-year-old transgender boy, were directed to harm themselves and write degrading messages on their bodies as part of the exploitation.
- The investigation began in December 2020 after a parent discovered inappropriate communications and reported Simpson to authorities.
- The case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a DOJ initiative launched in 2006 to combat online child sexual exploitation and abuse nationwide.