A former high school lacrosse coach has been accused of using Snapchat to sexually exploit and blackmail at least 30 underage boys.
According to court documents reviewed by PEOPLE, Joseph Garofalo, an assistant lacrosse coach at Valley Stream Central High School on Long Island, N.Y., allegedly solicited child sex abuse images from male minors and then blackmailed his victims into providing more nude images of themselves and their friends.
Garofalo, 20, was arrested and pleaded not guilty to allegedly sexually exploiting children in April, months after the mother of one of Garofalo’s alleged teenage victims contacted the FBI in October 2024.
According to court documents, the unnamed 13-year-old victim allegedly sent Garofalo naked photos and videos of himself with his face visible on Snapchat in June 2024. He followed up months later to ensure the images had been deleted.
Garofalo, who knew the teen’s age, allegedly told the victim that he still had the images in his possession and threatened to share them online unless the victim “sent more naked photos or sent explicit photos of his friends,” according to a complaint filed on April 18.
According to the complaint, Garofalo allegedly responded to the victim’s request to delete with, “Gimme a reason to,” “Send stuff of ur boys naked n il ldelete [sic],” another alleged message stated.
Garofalo’s behavior is described in court documents as “sextortion,” which the April 18 complaint defines as “when an individual (the perpetrator) threatens to inflict harm on another individual (the victim) either through distributing private and sensitive material, harming the victim or friends or relatives, etc., unless the victim provides the perpetrator with sexual images, sexual favors, or money.”
Garofalo allegedly admitted to FBI agents after his arrest that he has a “addiction” to this behavior, which he has been engaging in since the age of 15, according to court documents. His victims have always ranged in age from 12 to 16 years.
In November 2024, authorities searched Garofalo’s Snapchat account, which had been flagged earlier that year for containing files that appeared to depict child sex abuse material. They discovered child sex abuse images depicting at least nine different minors. This number more than tripled after another search warrant was executed.
According to court documents, authorities have identified at least 30 victims after reviewing only a portion of the four phones discovered in Garofalo’s possession, two of which were hidden in his room. The majority of the victims live on Long Island.
According to Valley Stream Central High School District Superintendent Wayne Loper, Garofalo’s alleged victims did not include any district students.
“We have been in contact with investigators from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, who have advised that none of the allegations against this individual involve Valley Stream Central High School District students,” Loper said in a statement to parents obtained by The Long Island Herald.
Loper also confirmed to the newspaper that Garofalo is no longer employed by the district.
Anthony M. La Pinta, Garofalo’s attorney, did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment on Sunday, May 11.
In a statement to The New York Post, La Pinta said, “These allegations have shocked the Garafolo family. Joseph is known as a respectful, caring, and hardworking young man.”
Garofalo remained in custody on May 11 after a judge denied him bail. On May 6, he appeared in court for a bond hearing, and his family offered approximately $1.55 million in property as collateral for his bail. Garofalo also promised to stay at his parents’ house, with no internet, cellphone access, or contact with the children he used to coach, and to attend weekly counseling sessions.
A judge denied him bail, citing community concerns over Garofalo’s years-long “addiction” to sexually exploiting minors, as well as the massive amount of evidence discovered during the still-incomplete search of his devices.
If you suspect child abuse, contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453.
