A man from Lorain County, Ohio, has been sentenced to more than eight years in federal prison for trafficking thousands of files containing child sexual abuse material. Robert L. Scarvelli, 52, of Sheffield Lake, received a sentence of 107 months in prison from U.S. District Judge David A. Ruiz after pleading guilty in September 2025 to charges involving the receipt and distribution of material depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Scarvelli will also serve 15 years of supervised release following his prison term and must pay $5,000 in restitution to one of his victims.
Court documents show that between June 6 and August 31, 2024, Scarvelli knowingly received, distributed, and possessed digital files depicting children being sexually abused. During a search at his home, federal agents found several electronic devices containing thousands of images and videos. Many files included sadistic or masochistic depictions involving children under the age of 12 and infants or toddlers. Over 100 videos lasted ten minutes or longer; one video showed a child being abused for nearly an hour.
The FBI Cleveland Division conducted the investigation that led to Scarvelli’s indictment. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer J. King for the Northern District of Ohio.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, a national effort led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse through coordination among federal, state, and local agencies to find offenders and rescue victims. More information about Project Safe Childhood is available at https://www.justice.gov/PSC.
Incidents of child exploitation can be reported at https://www.cybertipline.org or by calling 1-800-843-5678 at any time.
