A Connecticut woman will have to serve to 20 years in prison for producing and distributing child sexual assault videos and photos along with her boyfriend.
Sara Anne Simonelli, also known as Sara Byxbee, 41, of New Milford, was sentenced by Judge Brian W. Preleski to 50 years in prison, execution suspended after 20 years, followed by 20 years of probation, according to the Connecticut Division of Criminal Justice.
Simonelli also was ordered to register with the Connecticut Sex Offender Registry, the DCJ said.
Simonelli previously pleaded guilty on June 7 in Torrington Superior Court to four counts of employing a minor in an obscene performance, two counts of promoting a minor in an obscene performance, one count of first-degree sexual assault with a victim under 13 years of age and one count of risk of injury to a minor/illegal sexual contact, court records show.
At the time of the crimes, Simonelli was reportedly in a relationship with 29-year-old Michael J. Almeida of New Milford, according to court records.
Court records show that an Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Project CyberTip led to a search warrant and seizure of multiple devices belonging to Almeida. According to court records, over 400 files identified as child pornography were found on Almeida’s devices.
“Additionally, on Almeida’s cell phone, police identified videos and photographs of Simonelli with the minor victim,” court records show. “Multiple videos showed Simonelli sexually assaulting the minor victim. … Text messages between Simonelli and Almeida commented on these videos and expressed an interest to further sexually assault the minor victim.”
Almeida pleaded guilty in Torrington Superior Court on Jan. 30 to two counts of first-degree possession of child pornography, two counts accessory to employing a minor in an obscene performance and one count of accessory to commit risk of injury to a child.
On May 9, he was sentenced by Preleski to 30 years in prison, execution suspended after 18 years, followed by 20 years of probation and was also ordered to register with the Connecticut Sex Offender Registry, court records show.
State’s Attorney David R. Shannon praised the extensive work of the New Milford Police Department, “particularly Detective Nicholas Smith, and the State of Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection’s Division of Scientific Services Forensic Science Laboratory” in the investigation.
