In early September 2024, the Bridgeport Police Department’s (BPD) Special Victim’s Unit (SVU) received information from the Federal Bureau of Investigation – New Haven regarding Possession of Child Pornography (CSAM) Child Sexual Abuse Material. As a result of that communication, BPD SVU Detective Davon Polite opened a case, here at the local level, in Bridgeport, CT.
In early October Detective Polite received additional information from the Connecticut State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) where he received multiple Cyber Tipline reports of numerous uploaded files related to child pornography. Federal Statute 42 USC 13032 mandates that Internet Service Providers (ISPs) must register with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and then report any occurrences of child pornography on their systems back to (NCMEC). The reports were generated from an unnamed company that owns a freeware instant messaging mobile app. The company believed child pornography was being saved, shared, or uploaded by one of their users and then contacted NCMEC.
The suspect in the case has been identified as 37-year-old Jose Luis Albino (also known as Jose Albino-Santiago) out of Bridgeport CT.
As a result of the investigation, SVU Detective Polite obtained arrest warrants for Jose Albino-Santiago of Bridgeport Connecticut charging him with Possession of Child Pornography (2 counts), Risk of Injury to a Child, and Enticing a Minor. Total bond was $550,000. A search warrant was obtained for his residence as well.
On November 14, 2024, The U.S Marshal’s Violent Fugitive Task Force took Jose Albino-Santiago into custody. The search warrant was executed immediately thereafter with the assistance of the BPD Forensic Identification Unit, Homeland Security Investigations, the BPD Special Victim’s Unit, and the Connecticut State Police. Multiple items of evidence were recovered. Albino-Santiago was arraigned later that morning.
The Bridgeport Police Department would like to thank all the local, state, and federal agencies that took part in this investigation.