NORFOLK, Va. – A Chesapeake man was sentenced today to 17.5 years in prison for transportation of child pornography.
According to court documents, in November 2020, Anthony Kandalepas, 20, drove to Florida to pick up a 14-year-old girl and bring her to Chesapeake. The victim was the subject of a Marchman Order in Florida for drug and alcohol abuse. They stayed with the defendant’s grandparents in their attic. While there, the defendant and the 14-year-old engaged in sex and the defendant recorded it. He then assisted the victim in selling the images online using various social media platforms. The pair then drove to upstate New York, where the Otswego County Sheriff’s Office found Kandalepas and the victim. Homeland Security Investigation’s (HSI) Albany and Norfolk Offices then joined the investigation.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Derek W. Gordon, Acting Special Agent in Charge of U.S. HSI Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Roderick C. Young.
Significant assistance was provided by the Otswego County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Yusi prosecuted the case.
In 2021, EDVA launched “UnMasked,” a community-based educational outreach and prevention program in Virginia dedicated to raising awareness and educating the community about the prevalence of online sexual exploitation involving children and young adults. UnMasked is a multi-disciplinary partnership of local, state, federal, and non-profit stakeholders. The core curriculum is provided by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s (NCMEC) NetSmartz program. To report an incident involving online sexual exploitation, call 1-800-843-5678 or submit a report at report.cybertip.org. To request an UnMasked event at your school or organization, please contact EDVA’s Community Outreach Coordinator at USAVAE-UnMasked@usdoj.gov.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:21-cr-136.