New Jersey Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Possessing Child Pornography

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK - Daniel Lanfrit, age 50, was sentenced May 13, 2026, to 60 months' imprisonment and 10 years' supervised release for possession of child pornography. First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement.

When he pleaded guilty, Lanfrit admitted that he had traveled to Canada and then arrived at a port of entry to seek admission back into the United States. The defendant traveled with his cell phone and a tablet. When the defendant's devices were searched at the port of entry, both devices contained images of child pornography. The defendant possessed nearly 400 images of child pornography.

First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III said, "This defendant's conduct shows his sick perversion, bordering on obsession, when he went on vacation to Canada and brought two devices containing child pornography. The images were available to him wherever he was and whenever he wished. The images of child pornography were distinct and different on each device, explaining why the defendant needed to take both with him on vacation so he could have access to his full collection. When the defendant arrived back in the United States, we discovered the devices containing the child pornography and moved to prosecute him. I thank Customs and Border Protection and HSI for their work in bringing this individual to justice."

HSI Buffalo Special Agent in Charge Erin Keegan: "Daniel Lanfrit's possession of nearly 400 images of child sexual abuse material fueled the exploitation of children, inflicted lasting harm on vulnerable victims, and posed a serious threat to the safety of our communities. Every one of these horrific images represents a real child who was abused. HSI Syracuse, working alongside the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of New York and our law enforcement partners, will continue to protect children and the public from further harm, and hold accountable those who fuel this cycle of victimization."

In addition to the imprisonment and supervised release terms, United States District Judge Anthony J. Brindisi in Utica also ordered Lanfrit to pay $15,000 in restitution to the victims. Lanfrit also will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.

HSI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carling Dunham prosecuted the case.

Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.