Village of Florida sex offender pleads guilty in new child exploitation case
Anthony Damiani is back behind bars as the case raises questions about monitoring, repeat offenses and whether penalties go far enough.
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A registered sex offender in the Village of Florida is back behind bars after pleading guilty in a new child exploitation case.
Prosecutors say 54-year-old Anthony Damiani pleaded guilty on Thursday in Orange County Court to possessing a sexual performance by a child. He was initially charged with 10 counts of possessing a sexual performance by a child.
Authorities say electronic devices that Orange County sheriff’s investigators took during a search last August contained texts, images and videos involving a child under the age of 16.
Damiani is currently being held in Orange County Jail and is scheduled to be sentenced in July.
Neighbors who did not want to be identified told News 12 they had long been uncomfortable living near Damiani.
“Is it a relief to not have a registered sex offender on our street – of course,” one neighbor said.
“Everyone knows about him. Everyone has been uncomfortable,” another said.
Neighbors also said many people in the area were aware when investigators searched the home last summer.
Damiani is already listed on the New York State Sex Offender Registry as a Level 2 offender. Registry records show Damiani was previously convicted in Albany County in 2002 in a case involving a 13-year-old girl. Records show he was sentenced to 90 days in jail and five years of probation.
News 12 also found property records showing Damiani has been tied to a home in a residential neighborhood in the Village of Florida since 2009.
His latest case is now raising broader questions about whether state laws and sex offender monitoring are strict enough. Registry records show Damiani’s probation in his earlier case would have ended years ago.
Laura Ahearn, executive director of the Crime Victims Center, said convicted Level 2 and Level 3 sex offenders should face lifetime supervision.
“We feel very strongly that for convicted sex offenders it should be lifetime supervision for level two and level three offenders,” Ahearn said.
Ahearn also helped advocate for Megan’s Law, which created public sex offender registries so families can know who may be living nearby.
“The registry is one tool of many to protect your child, but it’s only one tool,” she said.
Ahearn said parents should also learn the warning signs of grooming and sexual victimization, stay aware of who is around their children and remain proactive about safety.
It is not yet clear what first tipped off authorities to his most recent offense.
