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Canadian man pleads guilty in ‘sextortion’ case involving Virginia Beach sisters

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Two frightened Virginia Beach sisters were coerced into performing sex acts on each other during an online video call 81/2 years ago with a man they’d never met.

Their father found out shortly after it happened and called police. Within weeks, investigators identified Marco Viscomi, a medical student from Canada, as the suspect in their case and potentially dozens of others.

But it would take nearly eight years to bring him to Virginia to face the accusations here after he repeatedly fought extradition from Canada.

On Wednesday, Viscomi, now 35, pleaded guilty to two counts of producing child pornography in U.S. District Court in Norfolk. He faces a minimum of 15 years in prison, but could get up to 60. A sentencing hearing is set for January.

Marco Viscomi was extradited from Canada to Virginia in December 2019 on federal charges he coerced girls he met online to produce child pornography. The charges were initially filed in 2012.
Marco Viscomi was extradited from Canada to Virginia in December 2019 on federal charges he coerced girls he met online to produce child pornography. The charges were initially filed in 2012.

The incident involving the sisters occurred at their home in January 2012. The older girl, then 17, was participating in an online chat when Viscomi messaged her, according to a statement of facts entered into evidence.

Viscomi told her that because her IP address was public she was vulnerable to anyone who might want to take over her computer and that the same had happened to his sister, the statement said. He then sent her a file, telling her to save it to her computer so he could make it safe and identify anyone that might be targeting her.

Once the girl saved the file, he informed her it was a virus and that he could now control her computer. He promised to delete it, however, if she did what he said.

But it only got worse from there.

After coercing the girl to appear topless for him over a Skype video call, Viscomi told her he photographed her, the statement of facts said. He threatened to send the images to her family if she didn’t continue cooperating.

When she told him she had a 13-year-old sister sleeping in the same room as her, Viscomi instructed her to wake up the girl.

The 17-year-old pleaded with him not to involve her sister, but he yelled and cursed at her. He told her that if she didn’t comply in the next 30 seconds he would “ruin” her and that she and her sister would be raped outside of school.

After the call was over, the girls’ older sister went into their room and found them naked and hiding behind a bed, the statement said. She told their father, who contacted police.

Virginia Beach detectives tracked down Viscomi’s name with the help of Skype and his internet service provider, according to court documents. They also learned he was under investigation in Wisconsin for allegedly doing the same thing to a 16-year-old girl there.

U.S. officials claim he may have victimized 80 other people, the Toronto Sun reported. No other charges have been filed, though.

Following Viscomi’s arrest in Canada, he and his family fought his extradition. The Ontario Court of Appeal quashed an initial extradition request, saying there wasn’t enough evidence he used the computer in question. The Canadian government, however, eventually succeeded in convincing an Ontario Superior Court judge to extradite him.

An appellate court ruled for the government last June and Canada’s supreme court decided in November not to intervene.

Neither of the victims, nor their father, were in court for the plea.

Jane Harper, 757-222-5097, jane.harper@pilotonline.com