David X. Sullivan, U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that Christopher Jesus Constanzo, a 23-year-old from Torrington, has been sentenced to 25 years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson delivered the sentence in Hartford, which includes a lifetime of supervised release following imprisonment. Constanzo was found guilty of sexually exploiting three minors.
Court documents and statements reveal that on December 2, 2021, Constanzo and a 16-year-old girl arrived at the U.S. Port of Entry at Highgate Springs, Vermont. They were previously denied entry into Canada at the St-Armand/Philipsburg Border Crossing due to lack of COVID tests. After being separated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers, the minor reported meeting Constanzo at Stillwater Pond State Park in Torrington where he sexually assaulted her and forced her into the trunk of her car.
Constanzo allegedly restrained the victim with a shoelace and later assaulted her again before instructing her to “act normal” as they approached the Canadian border. He falsely claimed to Canadian officials that she was his sister.
In another incident in July 2021, Constanzo used SnapChat to coerce another 16-year-old girl into an abandoned warehouse in Torrington under threat to record sexual acts with him at knifepoint.
Additionally, Constanzo recorded explicit Facetime videos involving a 17-year-old female using his iPhone during the same month.
Following his arrest on December 2, 2021, Constanzo has remained detained. On February 22, 2025, he pleaded guilty to producing child pornography and admitted his actions against all three victims as part of a plea agreement.
The investigation involved multiple agencies including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Vermont State Police, Chittenden County Sheriff’s Office in Vermont, and Torrington Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nancy V. Gifford and Neeraj N. Patel.
U.S Attorney Sullivan expressed gratitude towards both the U.S Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont and Litchfield Judicial District’s State’s Attorney for their assistance during this case’s investigation and prosecution.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood Initiative by the U.S Department of Justice aimed at combating child sexual abuse and exploitation.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood visit www.justice.gov/psc or report cases via www.cybertipline.com.
