Child therapist in Long Island pleads guilty to distributing child sexual abuse material.
A child therapist from Long Island has pleaded guilty to charges of collecting and distributing child pornography, including graphic videos depicting horrific acts against infants. Renee Hoberman, 37, also known as Rina, entered her plea before a federal court on Long Island. The accusations against her detail a disturbing trend of engaging in and sharing violent sexual content involving minors aged between six months to two years.
Hoberman’s offenses came to light when she utilized the social media platform Kik to disseminate numerous videos that prompted several reports to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. Federal investigators claim that she operated under various usernames including “badgurl854,” “Daddywhospanks Naked,” and “troublegirl2434,” from June 2024 until October 2024. The nature of these videos, which depict severe acts of violence against vulnerable children, has led to significant outrage and condemnation from legal authorities.
In the course of the investigation, agents from Homeland Security Investigations conducted a raid at Hoberman’s residence in Plainview, Long Island, last year. During this operation, they discovered additional child pornography and evidence suggesting that she communicated with others through the Telegram app to share illicit content. Disturbingly, Hoberman reportedly revealed to agents that she experienced sexual arousal from violent depictions of children in the early stages of life.
Hoberman, who has been a licensed clinical social worker since December 2020, had previously maintained a professional profile as a therapist in Melville, Long Island, serving children ranging from birth to 17 years of age. However, she surrendered her professional license in April, acknowledging her inability to mount a successful defense against the allegations of distributing child pornography.
Federal sentencing guidelines indicate that Hoberman may face a prison term of approximately 10 to 12½ years, with a minimum of five years mandated due to the severity of her crimes. She is scheduled to be sentenced on November 18, 2024, and remains in custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn without bail.
The case has drawn significant attention, highlighting the critical nature of protecting children from exploitation and the culpability of individuals who betray their professional responsibilities. As the community processes the gravity of these events, federal prosecutor Joseph Nocella emphasized the gravity of Hoberman’s offenses, underscoring the need for vigilance in safeguarding society’s most innocent members.
This unfolding case serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing challenges in combating child exploitation and the imperative for continued efforts in law enforcement and public awareness.
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