Shirley Man Arrested on Child Pornography Charges After Digital Investigation

Miguel Lisandro, 24, of Shirley was arrested on felony charges of Promoting a Sexual Performance by a Child and Possessing a Sexual Performance by a Child after detectives from the Suffolk County Police Department's Digital Forensics Unit executed a search warrant at his home at 321 Revilo Ave. at 6:01 a.m. on April 8.

The investigation began with a tip routed through two of the country's primary online-exploitation watchdogs: the New York State Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. That tip prompted the Digital Forensics Unit to seek and obtain the warrant that sent detectives to Shirley in the early morning hours. During the search, investigators recovered electronic devices containing pornographic images depicting children.

Lisandro was charged the same day and is scheduled for arraignment at First District Court in Central Islip. Both charges are felonies under New York State law. Promoting a Sexual Performance by a Child involves producing, directing, or distributing material that sexually exploits a minor; Possessing a Sexual Performance by a Child covers knowingly holding such material. Together, the charges can carry significant prison time upon conviction, though sentencing ranges depend on the degree of the charges and any prior criminal history.

As is standard in criminal proceedings, the Suffolk County Police Department noted that the charges constitute an accusation and that Lisandro is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.

The case reflects an investigative pipeline that runs from national tip lines down to local forensic units. When the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children receives a report of suspected online child exploitation, it can funnel that lead to state-level ICAC task forces, which then coordinate with county agencies. In this instance, that chain reached Suffolk's Digital Forensics Unit, whose detectives specialize in recovering and preserving digital evidence in ways that satisfy chain-of-custody requirements for court.

Detectives are asking anyone with additional information relevant to the investigation to contact the Suffolk County Police Department's Digital Forensics Unit directly. Parents concerned about their children's online activity can report suspected exploitation to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's CyberTipline at 1-800-843-5678 or at cybertipline.org. The NYS ICAC Task Force also accepts tips and offers digital-safety resources at icactaskforce.ny.gov. For families seeking local support services related to child abuse, the Suffolk County Department of Social Services can be reached at 631-853-3100.