Jason Cortese with WWE superstar John Cena
UPDATE:
In the most recent twist involving Jason Cortese, the City of Rochester, NY 911 operator charged in a child pornography case which involves a 12-year old girl, an Irondequoit, NY woman has been arrested and charged with federal child pornography charges.
According to Federal authorities, that woman, Megan McDonald, produced, distributed, and possessed child pornography.
Child pornography which consisted of nude photos and videos of children, one as young as a 1-year old, which McDonald, 35, sent to Jason Cortese, the 911 operator.
McDonald's arrest came after authorities found child pornography on Jason Cortese's cell phone.
Authorities then traced the child pornography back to McDonald.
On April 2nd, City of Rochester, NY 911 operator Jason Cortese was back in U.S. Federal Court for a bail hearing.
The 33-year old Cortese was brought in through the rear of the Federal building on State St. in downtown Rochester, handcuffed and shackled, dressed in a tan colored Livingston County, NY jail jumpsuit.
Any law enforcement employee who is arrested is kept at the Livingston County, NY jail for their protection.
While U.S. Federal Court Judge Jonathan Feldman didn't make a decision on bail, Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Lee made it clear to the judge that Jason Cortese is a sexual predator, "sexually interested in 12 year old girls."
In court, Feldman was concerned as to why it took Chandler, Arizona so long to contact local police.
However, when Arizona authorities finally did contact Irondequoit, NY Police, law enforcement authorities in Irondequoit ignored the serious claims against Cortese and instead told Chandler, Arizona Police to contact the Greece, NY Police Department or the Monroe County, NY Sheriff's Office.
Long story short, police agencies played the hand off game while a sexual predator continued preying n minors.
U.S. Attorney Tiffany Lee also said that there is evidence that Jason Cortese attempted to involve his own daughter in sex acts with the 12-year old Irondequoit, NY girl.
UPDATE:
Federal Court Judge Jonathan Feldman has ruled that Jason Cortese will be held in custody without bail.
Read my original piece below.
By Davy V.
Less than two weeks after after I broke the story of Irondequoit, NY Police Department Detective Jim Frascati's racist posts on his facebook page, which led not only to Fracati's suspension, but which also prompted the City of Rochester, NY to suspend Stephen Cusenz, the Deputy Director of 911 services, for also posting racist comments on facebook, a 911 operator has been arrested by the FBI.
Tuesday morning, FBI agents arrested Jason Cortese, who was on duty, on child pornography charges
Court documents show that the 33-year old Cortese is accused of attempting to entice a minor to engage in secularly explicit conduct for the purpose of producting a visual depiction.
According to the FBI, Jason Cortese sent several sexually explicit messages to a 12-year old girl, as well as pornographic photos of children under 12 years of age.
Court papers state that in an attempt to get the 12-year old girl to send him sexually explicit photos of her, Cortrse sent the minor nude photos of his genitals.
Cortese is also accused of trying to transport a minor across state lines, possibly across international lines.
Jason Cortese is also accused of posessing and distributing child pornography.
According to court papers, several witnesses claim Cortese contacted young, underage girls, including the 12-year old, through texts and other social media messaging apps.
According to FBI special agent Barry Couch, the incidents took place in 2014.
Just last week, former Greece, NY Police officer John Casey plead guilty to child pornography charges.
Casey faces up to 20 years when he's sentenced in June.
Jason Cortese' facebook page shows that he is an avid professional wrestling fan.
As you can see in the photo above, Jason Cortese is pictured with WWE superstar John Cena.
In another photo, (second photo below) Jason Cortese is pictured with Rochester, NY Police officer Anthony DiPonzio.
DiPonzio made news headlines in 2009 after he was shot in the head.
Meanwhile, City of Rochester officials seemed to downplay the serious charges against their employee.
Either that, or classic government damage control.
"As a union member, the employee in question is covered by a collective bargaining agreement," City of Rochester, NY spokeswoman Jessica Alaimo said in a statement Tuesday afternoon.
"Given this fact, any potential disciplinary action or dismissal will need to follow the protocols set forth under the provisions of the union contract."
City of Rochester officials said they would have no further comment and that the matter is a "personnel issue."
A "personnel issue"?
Are you kidding me?
UPDATE:
I AM THE FIRST TO REPORT THIS HERE ON MY BLOG...
According to one of my confidential sources, who works in the EMS field, Jason Cortese
worked for Monroe Ambulance from 2007 until 2010 and was fired for "sending sexually explicit text
photos of his genitals."
"I can't give you specifics as I have to protect my job but yes I can tell you that Jason Cortese was
fired from Monroe Ambulance in 2010 for sending sexually explicit texts photos of his genitals,"
my source told me, adding, "Whether or not Monroe Ambulance will admit that is a different
story but he should have never been hired by the City of Rochester."
I have seen the Federal criminal complaint and can say that it's extremely disturbing and disgusting.
As I read it I literally cringed.
To think that this individual who stands accused of this, worked as a 911 operator, entrusted with helping people in medical emergencies, leaves me speechless.
According to the Federal criminal complaint City of Rochester 911 operator Jason Cortese contacted the 12-year old girl Chandler, Arizona where she was visiting relatives.
In part, the Federal criminal complaint states that on July 15, 2014 Jason Cortese sent the girl a text which read "Good morning beautiful."
The girl's stepmother contacted Chandler, Arizona Police who performed an extraction on the girl's cell phone.
The girl's stepmother sent Jason Cortese a text which read:
"Hey we got to talk. My daughter's uncle just went through her phone and found you on there asking her to instant message you. She's 12. You are an adult and should not be talking to a 12 year old at all."
Jason Cortese replies: "I'm sorry!! I stopped. It won't happen again. I promise!!"
The Federal criminal complaint states that Cortese asked the young girl if she was home and was it safe to message her.
The criminal complaint also accuses Cortese of sending the girl a photo of his penis, then asking her for nude photos of herself.
NOTE: DUE TO THE GRAPHIC EXPLICIT CONTENT I HAVE DECIDED TO EDIT SOME OF THE EXPLICIT WORDS WHICH APPEAR ON THE FEDERAL CRIMINAL COMPLAINT AGAINST JASON CORTESE.
Also in the Federal criminal complaint against Jason Cortese:
Cortese sent girl a text which read:
"Would you suck a 6 year old's c-ck?"
"U just ride his c-ck and I would be doing all the licking."
"Yesss U can f-ck him..."
"I just want some cute di-k"
The Federal criminal complaint also accuses Jason Cortese of sending the following text to the young girl:
"But I'd prob hurt u sticking my di-k in u"
"It's pain we would both enjoy tho!!"
"Call me daddy hehehe lolol"
The Federal criminal complaint against Jason Cortese lists his address as 93 Long Pond Rd., Apt. B, in Greece, NY.
Jason Cortese is in custody pending a Federal detention hearing which is set for Thursday April 2nd.
If convicted, he faces a minimum of 5 years to a maximum of life in prison.
As if the incident itself isn't disturbing, it seems that law enforcement dropped the ball and waited several months to finally take action.
Chandler, Arizona Police dragged their feet in contacting Irondequoit, NY Police, and once they did, Irondequoit, NY Police also took their time.
I will be updating this piece soon.
Below: Jason Cortese with Rochester, NY Police officer
Anthony DiPonzio, who was shot in 2009
Jason Cortese being led out of the U.S. Federal Court House in Rochester, NY in handcuffs
Jason Cortese mugshot
A shackled Jason Cortese arrives in Federal Court, downtown Rochester, NY
PLEASE SUPPORT MY FILM "A PROMISE TO MY DAD"
That's me on the right with my dad Mario Vara, and Judge Provenzano
when my dad became a U.S. citizen.
For the past 20 years my work has centered around exposing police misconduct and corruption.
Most recently, I exposed an Irondequoit, NY Police Detective, Jim Frascati, for posting disturbing racist posts on social media against African-Americans and Mexicans.
As a result of my exposing Detective Frascati right here on this blog, he was fired, and a 911 Deputy Director was suspended without pay after he also posted racist comments on Detective Frascati's original post.
As an activist, my goal is to put a spotlight on incidents which mainstream news media often ignores.
So why do I do this, you may ask?
Well, my story begins as the son of a Cuban immigrant, who left his homeland in search of a better life for his family.
And it's that story, my Dad's story, which I want to tell through my film, "A Promise to My Dad."
But I can't do it alone.
I need your help.
'A Promise To My Dad' is a documentary film about a promise I made to my father at his wake, after my father committed suicide.
The short film explores the life of my dad, Mario Vara as he leaves Cuba with my mom and older brother in 1968, in search of freedom and a better life for our family.
After moving the family to Rochester, NY, my father realizes that despite the promises of freedom and liberty that a life in America can bring, the harsh reality is that there are many injustices as well.
In fact, my dad would soon face very similar 'police state' tactics, as the ones he escaped his homeland for in the first place.
"A Promise to My Dad" highlights an incident in the 1980's, when Rochester Police officers Mark Mariano and Randall Benjamin kicked down the family's door, illegally entering our home, terrorizing me and my family at gunpoint.
As a result of that incident, my dad becomes outspoken against police abuse and misconduct.
Unlike many Americans who take their rights for granted, my dad took a stand to denounce law enforcement violating U.S. citizen's civil rights.
Having lived a communist dictatorship, my dad knew all too well what it was like to live in a totalitarian police state, where simply expressing one's dislike for Castro and his government could land you in prison.
My dad was passionate in his denouncement of rogue cops abusing and violating citizen's civil rights in the U.S.
As a teen, I would tag along with my dad accompanying him to community meetings, rallies, and marches where he, along with other citizens demanded accountability from those whose job is to serve and protect, as well as the elected officials whose job it is to keep them in check.
'A Promise To My Dad' features me telling my dad's story, including talking about my father's depression and how it led to him committing suicide in 1993, after the Rochester, NY Police Department targeted my father through a series of selective harassment and intimidation tactics.
'A Promise to My Dad' follows me as I struggle to keep the promise I made to my dad, to continue his work against police misconduct and corruption, while at the same time trying to find my own identity as a young man, then as a father myself.
Throughout the film I will talk about my own struggles with depression, my father's suicide, and the effects that my work has brought to me and my family, including my children being stalked and receiving death threats.
One example of this came in August of 2014, when an ex-con who is known to work with Rochester Police as a paid confidential informant (C.I.) was captured on a store's surveillance video threatening to murder, and decapitate my 5-year old daughter.
Despite the video clearly showing the individual threatening to kill and decapitate an innocent child, Rochester Police and the Monroe County, NY District Attorney's office, including D.A. Sandra Doorley, refused to charge the individual.
Please support my film "A Promise to My Dad" by making a donation.
Making a donation is easy.
Just click on the link below which will take you to my blog.
Once there, click on the 'Donate' icon located at the top right of the page and follow the easy steps.
All donations are secure through PayPal.
Any donation over $35.00 receives a free 'A Promise to My Dad' t-shirt.
Just be sure to include your address when making your donation.
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