SOUTH END, Boston.- A Boston man was arrested Monday after a nearly three-month investigation into allegations that he solicited nude photographs from a 16-year-old juvenile, according to the Kingston Police Department.
Joseph Cassio, 41, of Boston, was arrested July 20 on Columbus Avenue in Boston’s South End after Kingston detectives obtained an arrest warrant. He is charged with the felony offense of posing or exhibiting a child in a state of nudity or sexual conduct, police said.
Detectives transported Cassio to Kingston before taking him to Plymouth District Court, where he was ordered held on bail. Police said he remains in custody pending his next court hearing in August.
According to investigators, Cassio allegedly solicited nude photographs from a juvenile he knew was 16 years old. Police also allege messages obtained during the investigation showed Cassio engaged in additional sexualized conversations with the victim and stated he would pursue children as young as 14.
Police said the investigation began after the juvenile disclosed the alleged conduct to a School Resource Officer at Silver Lake Regional High School. Detectives said the investigation lasted nearly three months.
According to Kingston Police, the suspect initially used a pseudonym, preventing investigators from immediately determining his identity. Detectives obtained photographs of the suspect and secured a court order authorizing the use of facial recognition technology, which produced an initial identification of Cassio, police said. Investigators said they then used additional database searches, coordination with partner law enforcement agencies, and location information obtained from a social media application to confirm his identity before seeking criminal charges.
The investigation remains active.
