Former High School Teacher Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession of Child Pornography

WACO, Texas - A former Belton High School teacher was sentenced to 78 months in prison for possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas.

According to court documents, on Sept. 22, 2024, Pietro Victor Giustino, 40, sent Bitcoin to a vendor in exchange for child sexual abuse material. On June 4, 2025, the FBI executed a federal search warrant at Giustino's residence in Belton and discovered devices and media containing thousands of images of child pornography, including prepubescent minors.

Giustino was arrested in July 2025. He pleaded guilty in March to one count of possession of visual depictions of sexual activities by minors. On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Christopher Wolfe sentenced Giustino to 78 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release. Judge Wolfe also ordered a $5,000 Victims of Trafficking Act assessment along with an Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Assessment Act assessment of $10,000.

The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the Belton Police Department and with cooperation from the Belton Independent School District.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Gloff prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and 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 Justice.gov/PSC.

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