United States Drug Enforcement Administration

WALLINGFORD, Conn. - Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that CHRISTOPHER LISCIO, 40, of Wallingford, pleaded guilty today in Bridgeport federal court to child sexual exploitation and drug trafficking offenses.

According to court documents and statements made in court, between January 2016 and February 2020, Liscio used Snapchat to entice two minor girls to take sexually explicit photographs and videos of themselves and send them to him via the social media application.  The communication with one of the minor victims started when she was approximately 13 years old and continued until she was approximately 16 years old, and the communication with the second minor victim occurred when she was 15 and 16 years old.  Liscio also engaged in sexual acts with the second minor victim on multiple occasions when she was 15 and 16 years old.

In February 2020. Liscio was arrested on state charges related to the sexual assault of a minor.  Between February and April 2020, while he was released on bond in his state case, Liscio sold 2,000 30mg oxycodone pills.

Liscio has been detained since his federal arrest on May 26, 2021.  On that date, a search of his Wallingford residence revealed approximately 500 grams of cocaine, items used to process and package narcotics, and $22,440 in cash.

Liscio pleaded guilty to one count of enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity, one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute oxycodone, and one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.  At sentencing, Liscio faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life.  A sentencing date is not scheduled.

This matter has been investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad, with the assistance of the Wallingford Police Department, Middletown Police Department and Fremont (N.H.) Police Department.  The Tactical Diversion Squad includes officers from the Bristol, East Windsor, Hamden, New Britain, West Haven, Newington, Manchester, Glastonbury and Watertown Police Departments.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda S. Oakes.

U.S. Attorney Avery thanked the State’s Attorney’s Offices for the Judicial Districts of New Haven and Middlesex for their close cooperation in investigating and prosecuting this matter.

This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.