A 38-year-old Manhattan arts and theater teacher who bounced between multiple New York City public schools is headed to federal prison for 150 months after admitting he received and distributed child pornography and sexually exploited at least one of his students. U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla handed down the sentence Monday for Anthony Michael Souza, and prosecutors say the material he traded included images and videos showing the abuse of infants and toddlers. The case has federal authorities sounding the alarm for parents and educators about what happens when a teacher weaponizes trust instead of earning it.
Court Record: What Prosecutors Say
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, Souza sent and received about 250 videos and roughly 1,050 images of child sexual abuse while working in city classrooms, including files that depicted the rape and abuse of very young children. The office’s release says Souza also photographed and recorded clothed children inside his classrooms and maintained a sexual relationship with a minor identified as "Minor-1," which he filmed, while inviting other men to participate in group sex. Court filings further describe an attempted grooming of a fifth grade student that stopped only when the child hung up on Souza and blocked him.
U.S. Attorney’s Statement
U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton called Souza’s crimes a “betrayal of trust” and said, “Souza is off our streets for years and should never be close to a school again,” in a post from the Southern District of New York’s account, per U.S. Attorney SDNY on X. The comment underscored how prosecutors view Souza: not just as a defendant, but as an educator who used his access to children for exploitation.
Investigation and What Comes Next
The SDNY credited the FBI with “outstanding investigative work” and said the case was handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Getzel Berger leading the prosecution, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office, SDNY. Souza, of Manhattan, was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release after his prison term. Officials urged anyone with information about child exploitation to contact the FBI at 1-212-384-1000 or through tips.fbi.gov.
Prosecutors say the sentence is part of a broader push to target those who produce and traffic in child sexual abuse material and to hold educators accountable when they prey on students. Local schools and parents in Manhattan may see more outreach in the coming months as authorities work with victim services providers to support anyone affected by Souza’s conduct.
