UPDATE: Former Law Enforcement Officer Sentenced to 3-Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Child Pornography

March 30, 2022
Anthony M. Mileo, 53, of Huntingtown

Anthony M. Mileo, 54, of Huntingtown

UPDATE 3/30/2022: U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis sentenced Anthony Michael Mileo, age 56, of Huntingtown, Maryland, to three years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for possession of child pornography.  At the time of his indictment in January 2020, Mileo was a Corporal with the Maryland National Capital Park Police Department and was a K-9 handler.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge James R. Mancuso of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Colonel Woodrow W. Jones III, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police; and Calvert County State’s Attorney Robert Harvey.

According to his plea agreement, on August 7, 2019, the Maryland State Police (MSP) Computer Crimes Unit received a referral from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding the possession of child sexual abuse material.  The cybertip indicated that video files documenting child sexual abuse were uploaded to a document storage application account.

The document storage application provided the contents of the account to investigators.  The content included over a dozen video files depicting child sexual abuse and provided the IP address associated with the transfer of videos depicting child sexual abuse to the account on July 1, 2019.

As detailed in the plea agreement, investigators learned that the e-mail address was associated with Mileo and the IP addresses were associated with an Internet Service Provider account located at Mileo’s address in Calvert County, Maryland.

On September 5, 2019, MSP obtained a search warrant for the contents of the e-mail account which revealed approximately 71 video files depicting child sexual abuse, including prepubescent minors and images depicting children in bondage being sexually abused.  The video files included a series of known victims of child abuse identified through NCMEC.  The e-mail account also contained non-contraband material, including employment information associated with Mileo.

On November 7, 2019, members of the MSP and HSI executed a search warrant at Mileo’s residence and recovered three cellular telephones: an Apple iPhone 7 Plus, which was seized from Mileo’s person; a black Kyocera phone seized from the rear of Mileo’s Park Police-issued vehicle; and a police-issued black iPhone in a black case with “K9” on the back.  Mileo was arrested.

A forensic analysis was undertaken on the Apple iPhone 7.  A third-party vendor was contracted to unlock the phone so that its contents could be searched.  The document storage application originally identified in the cybertip was identified on the phone, along with two additional document storage accounts.

None of the 168 files collectively contained within the second and third document storage accounts identified on the phone were able to be accessed, but many of the file names were indicative of child sex abuse material.  Investigators also identified a chat application on the phone.

One of the recovered chats contained an image depicting the sexual abuse of a toddler.  The files Mileo uploaded depicting the sexual abuse of children could be accessed from any device with an Internet connection, including the cellular telephones recovered by investigators.  For example, Mileo uploaded the document storage application onto his personal iPhone, which allowed him to access the images of child sexual abuse he had previously uploaded to the application.

Mileo previously faced related charges in Calvert County, but those charges were dismissed in favor of federal prosecution.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended HSI Baltimore and the Maryland State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force for their work in the investigation and thanked the Office of the State’s Attorney for Calvert County for its assistance.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy F. Hagan, who is prosecuting the federal case.


UPDATE 12/21/2020: Anthony Michael Mileo, age 54, of Huntingtown, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to the federal charge of possession of child pornography.  At the time of his indictment in January 2020, Mileo was a Corporal with the Maryland National Capital Park Police Department and was a K9 handler.

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge John Eisert of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Colonel Woodrow W. Jones III, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police; and Calvert County State’s Attorney Robert Harvey.

According to his plea agreement, on August 7, 2019, the Maryland State Police (MSP) Computer Crimes Unit received a referral from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding the possession of child sexual abuse material.  The cybertip indicated that video files documenting child sexual abuse were uploaded to a document storage application account.  The document storage application provided the contents of the account to investigators.  The content included over a dozen video files depicting child sexual abuse and provided the IP address associated with the transfer of videos depicting child sexual abuse to the account on July 1, 2019.

As detailed in the plea agreement, investigators learned that the e-mail address was associated with Mileo and the IP addresses were associated with an Internet Service Provider account located at Mileo’s address in Calvert County, Maryland.  On September 5, 2019, MSP obtained a search warrant for the contents of the e-mail account which revealed approximately 71 video files depicting child sexual abuse, including prepubescent minors and images depicting children in bondage being sexually abused.  The video files included a series of known victims of child abuse identified through NCMEC.  The e-mail account also contained non-contraband material, including employment information associated with Mileo.

On November 7, 2019, members of the MSP and HSI executed a search warrant at Mileo’s residence and recovered three cellular telephones.  Mileo admitted during the plea hearing today that the files he uploaded depicting the sexual abuse of children could be accessed from any device with an Internet connection, including the cellular telephones recovered by investigators.  For example, Mileo uploaded the document storage application onto his personal iPhone, which allowed him to access the images of child sexual abuse he had previously uploaded to the application.

Mileo previously faced related charges in Calvert County, but those charges were dismissed in favor of federal prosecution.

Mileo and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea, Mileo will be sentenced to between 48 months and 78 months in federal prison.  U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis has scheduled sentencing for February 17, 2021, at 10:00 a.m.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.  For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.

United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended HSI Baltimore and the Maryland State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force for their work in the investigation and thanked the Office of the State’s Attorney for Calvert County for its assistance.  Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy F. Hagan, who is prosecuting the federal case.

1/29/2020: A federal grand jury has indicted Anthony Michael Mileo, age 54, of Huntingtown, Maryland, on the federal charge of transportation of child pornography. The indictment was returned on January 22, 2020, and was unsealed at his initial appearance yesterday. Mileo is an officer with the Maryland National Capital Park Police Department.

The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge John Eisert of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Colonel William M. Pallozzi, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police; and Calvert County State’s Attorney Andrew Rappaport.

According to the indictment, on May 28, 2019, Mileo transported child pornography by computer. Mileo previously faced related charges in Calvert County, but those charges were dismissed in favor of federal prosecution.

If convicted, Mileo faces a mandatory minimum of five years in federal prison and a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for transportation of child pornography. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. At his initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt, U.S. Magistrate Judge DiGirolamo ordered that Mileo be released under the supervision of U.S. Pretrial Services.

An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.

United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended HSI Baltimore and the Maryland State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force for their work in the investigation and thanked the Office of the State’s Attorney for Calvert County for its assistance. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy F. Hagan, who is prosecuting the federal case.
Maryland State Police Computer Crimes investigators arrested and charged a Calvert County man this morning with the possession and distribution of child pornography.

The suspect is identified as Anthony M. Mileo, 53, of Huntingtown. He is charged with seventeen counts of possession of child pornography and seventeen counts of distribution of child pornography. Mileo was arrested at his residence without incident. He was transported to the Prince Frederick Barrack for processing and later taken to the Calvert County Detention Center.

In August of 2019, troopers from the Maryland State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force received a CyberTip report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children involving the distribution of child pornography online. The investigation led to the identification of Mileo and his residence in Calvert County. The investigation also revealed that Mileo is currently employed as a police officer with the Maryland National Capital Park Police Department.

Maryland State Police investigators obtained an arrest warrant for Mileo and shortly after 8:00 a.m. today, placed him under arrest. Subsequent to the arrest, the Maryland State Police, along with Homeland Security Investigations, served a search warrant at Mileo’s residence. During the service of the search warrant, the Maryland State Police recovered several electronic devices which will be analyzed by the Maryland State Police Digital Forensics Laboratory.

Anyone with information relevant to this case may contact the Maryland State Police through the Maryland Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-637-5437.

The Maryland State Police Computer Crimes Unit coordinates the Maryland Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. This is a combined law enforcement effort involving police departments across Maryland that is made possible in part due to grant funds provided by the Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention (GOCCP) and by a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Justice. Task force investigators focus on identifying those involved in child pornography via the Internet and other related crimes that victimize children.

Anthony M. Mileo, 53, of Huntingtown

Anthony M. Mileo, 53, of Huntingtown