Naugatuck Man Charged with Child Exploitation Offenses

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New England, today announced that TRAVIS TILLEY, 40, of Naugatuck, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with child exploitation offenses.

As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, in 2019, Tilley was convicted in state court of risk of injury to a child, which involved sexual intercourse with a person under 13, and possession of child pornography. In August 2022, he was released from state custody and began serving a 15-year term of probation. On March 9, 2023, state probation officers seized Tilley's laptop and a flash drive. Analysis of the seized items revealed that Tilley had utilized prohibited software and had accessed sites that provide sexually explicit material; that he was using encrypted email and messenger services; that he had used an operating system that is configured to leave no digital footprint; and that he was a member of internet chat rooms that focused on child pornography and AI-generated child pornography. The analysis also revealed two videos depicting the sexual exploitation of prepubescent children, approximately 60 images of AI-generated child pornography, and sexually explicit chat room messages sent by the laptop user.

The complaint charges Tilley with receipt of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years, and with possession of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. The penalties in this matter are enhanced because of Tilley's prior state convictions.

Tilley has been detained in state custody March 2023. He made his initial appearance today in New Haven federal court.

U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This investigation is being conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with the assistance of the Connecticut Court Support Services Division - Adult Probation Services and the Westport Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel E. Cummings through the U.S. Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.