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BROOKLYN, N.Y. — A former New York City Police Department officer has been sentenced to 40 years in federal prison for sexually exploiting minors, following his conviction last year on multiple charges involving underage victims, federal authorities announced Thursday.

Christopher Terranova, 40, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto after a federal jury found him guilty in November 2024 of child exploitation, attempted exploitation, and coercion involving three 15-year-old boys and one 12-year-old boy. The offenses occurred between 2019 and 2023, during which time Terranova was employed as an NYPD officer.

According to court records, Terranova used social media platforms to communicate with the minors and, in some instances, used his position as a police officer to gain their trust. Authorities say he initiated contact with some victims through official channels, including after one teen reported a robbery at an NYPD precinct. In that case, Terranova used department resources to obtain the teen’s contact information and then initiated inappropriate communication.

Investigators also found that Terranova traveled out of state on multiple occasions to meet one of the victims, using his position to maintain contact and develop trust. In other instances, he communicated with minors online, sending and soliciting messages that were sexual in nature.

U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. said the lengthy sentence “is a just outcome for the defendant’s abuse of his position as a police officer to groom and manipulate young boys.” He thanked the victims for coming forward and commended law enforcement for their work in the investigation.

The case was investigated by the FBI and the NYPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau. It was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.

Terranova will serve 40 years in federal custody, followed by supervised release, as part of his sentence for crimes involving the exploitation of minors.

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