United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York
02/14/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 02/14/2025 17:17
Middle School Teacher Charged With Possession Of Child Pornography
Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today the arrest of ROSS LANVIN for possession of child pornography. LANVIN is charged with possessing hundreds of images and videos of child pornography that depict children ranging from approximately 3 to 4 years old to pre-pubescent children engaging in sexually explicit conduct. LANVIN was presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stewart D. Aaron in Manhattan federal court.
Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: "As alleged, Ross Lanvin, who had close contact with students as a teacher at a public school in Manhattan, possessed hundreds of images and videos of child pornography. Together with our partners at the NYPD and Office of the Special Commissioner of Investigations for the NYC School District, we will continue to work to root out those who possess child pornography, especially when those individuals work in positions that give them access to children-some of the most vulnerable members of our community. Our investigation into Lanvin is ongoing, and we encourage anyone with information to contact Wendy Olsen-Clancy, the Victim Witness Coordinator at the United States Attorney's Office of the Southern District of New York, at 866-874-8900 or [email protected]."
According to the allegations contained in the Complaint:[1]
LANVIN is currently a math teacher at a public middle school located in Manhattan, New York ("School-1"). He was employed by the New York City Department of Education from in or about 2006 through in or about 2013, and again beginning in or about 2016.
From at least in or about September 2021 through in or about December 2024, LANVIN possessed hundreds of images and videos constituting child pornography on a Google account held under a fake name. On or about December 20, 2024, Google terminated access to this account upon finding that it contained suspected child pornography.
On February 13, 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant at LANVIN's Manhattan apartment and found child pornography on at least one of LANVIN's electronic devices.
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LANVIN, 41, of New York, New York, is charged with two counts of possession of child pornography, including images and videos of prepubescent minors and minors who had not attained 12 years of age, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The statutory maximum sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Podolsky praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York City Police Department Special Investigations Unit, Computer Crimes Squad, the Office of the Special Commissioner of Investigations for the NYC School District, as well as the Task Force Officers and Investigative Analysts of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York.
This case is being handled by the Office's General Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Lauren E. Phillips is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the texts of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.