A Long Island dance instructor is facing charges for using two of his teen students for sexually explicit video calls and text messages. Pei-Sze Cheng reports.
A Long Island dance professional who has taught for nearly two decades and performed with the likes of Ariana Grande now faces a federal charge in connection with the sex crimes case that got him arrested earlier this month, according to court papers.
Jordan Viscomi, a former instructor at David Sanders Dance Dynamics on Sunrise Highway in Oakdale, was charged with sexual exploitation of a minor following an investigation by the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. That charge comes after his arrest on multiple counts of using a child in a sexual performance, promoting a sexual performance by a child, disseminating indecent material to minors and endangering their welfare.
Viscomi pleaded not guilty to those charges at his earlier arraignment.
Court papers indicate the federal charge involves the same 15- and 16-year-old students Viscomi befriended and allegedly engaged in explicit sexual communication with by phone and text in April. The two girls are close friends, and at least one of them had known the 30-year-old from Centereach prior to enrolling at the school, according to Newsday.
According to a probable cause affidavit, the girls and Viscomi engaged in regular contact via text and socialized at the studio and dance-related gatherings. In early April, court papers allege the first of three FaceTime video calls involved sexually explicit conduct by Viscomi, who also allegedly invited them to play a game of "show and tell."
A cascade of texts portended that initial FaceTime interaction, with Viscomi allegedly asking both girls "at what point does this relationship become like real?" and imagining the trio as a "secret" group of lovers. That text was followed by an "emoji of an adult male with two child-like females, along with #jail," according to court documents.
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The text messages continued after that first FaceTime. Viscomi allegedly used that same emoji combo, and indicated he was "falling in love" and "in a relationship" with both girls. He also allegedly ordered them to delete the chats.
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In another conversation, the girls called Viscomi "Daddy." He allegedly told them he loved them and the three used that adult/child-like girl emoji combination again. The affidavit alleges it wasn't until the third FaceTime call that the girls engaged in sexually explicit conduct with one another at Viscomi's direction.
The FBI officer investigating the case claimed those and other details satisfied probable cause to charge Viscomi with persuading, inducing and enticing minors, specifically, the two girls, to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of transmitting visual depiction of themselves engaged in such conduct, which conduct was actually livestreamed via at least three FaceTime calls" - hence the federal charge.
Defense attorney Steve Politi has previously asserted his client's innocence, and did so again regarding the new charge.
"Jordan and I await the evidence that the government believes is important to proving their case against him," Politi told Newsday. "When all the facts are heard, we believe the picture that has been painted by both the state and federal prosecutors will look far different than is currently being suggested."
Politi also said his client spent nearly two decades as a dance instructor "without incident."
Police believe there may be more victims. Anyone with information is asked to call 631-854-8552.
