Lacrosse Coach, 20, Allegedly Used Snapchat to ‘Sextort’ at Least 30 Boys, Including a 13-Year-Old Victim

A former high school lacrosse coach is accused of using Snapchat to sexually exploit and blackmail at least 30 underage boys. 

Joseph Garofalo — who worked as an assistant lacrosse coach at Valley Stream Central High School on Long Island, N.Y. — allegedly solicited child sex abuse images from male minors, and later blackmailed his victims into supplying more nude images of themselves and their friends, according to court documents viewed by PEOPLE.

Garofalo, 20, was arrested and pleaded not guilty to allegedly sexually exploiting children in April, months after the mother of one of Garofalo’s alleged teenage victims tipped off the FBI in October 2024.

According to court documents, the unnamed 13-year-old victim allegedly sent Garofalo naked photos and videos of himself, in which his face was visible, via Snapchat in June 2024. He later reached out months later to ensure the images had been deleted.

Garofalo — who was aware of the teen’s age — allegedly told the victim that he still had the images in his possession, and threatened to share them online unless the victim “sent more naked photos or sent explicit photos of his friends,” according to a complaint filed on April 18.

“Gimme a reason to,” Garofalo allegedly responded to the victim’s request to delete, per the complaint. “Send stuff of ur boys naked n il ldelete [sic],” another alleged message read.

Court documents describe Garofalo’s behavior as “sextortion,” which the April 18 complaint defines as “when an individual (the perpetrator) threatens to inflict harm on another individual (the victim) either through distributing private and sensitive material, harming the victim or friends or relatives, etc., unless the victim provides the perpetrator with images of a sexual nature, sexual favors, or money.”

Following his arrest, Garofalo allegedly admitted to FBI agents that he has an “addiction” to this behavior, which he has engaged in since he was 15, according to court documents. His victims have always ranged from 12 to 16 years old.

Authorities later searched Garofalo’s Snapchat account — which had been flagged earlier that year for containing files that appeared to depict child sex abuse material — in November 2024, and found child sex abuse images depicting at least nine separate minors. That figure more than tripled after another search warrant was executed.

After going through just a portion of the four phones found in Garofalo’s possession — two of which were hidden in his room — authorities have identified at least 30 victims, a majority of whom live on Long Island, per court documents.

According to Valley Stream Central High School District Superintendent Wayne Loper, no district students were among Garofalo’s alleged victims.

“We have been in contact with investigators from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, who have advised that none of the allegations against this individual involve Valley Stream Central High School District students,” said Loper in a statement to parents obtained by The Long Island Herald.

Loper also confirmed that Garofalo is no longer employed by the district, according to the newspaper.

Garofalo’s attorney, Anthony M. La Pinta, did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment on Sunday, May 11.

In a statement to The New York Post, La Pinta said, “These allegations come as a shock to the Garafolo family. Joseph is known to be a respectful, caring and hard-working young man.”

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As of May 11, Garofalo remains in custody after a judge denied him bail. He appeared in court for a bond hearing on May 6, when his family offered up around $1.55 million worth of property as collateral for his bail. Garofalo also pledged to stay in his parents’ home — with no internet, cellphone access or involvement with the kids he used to coach — and to attend counseling weekly.

A judge still denied him bail, however, citing concern for the community because of Garofalo’s years-long “addiction” to sexually exploiting minors, as well as the sheer amount of evidence uncovered through the still-incomplete search of his devices.

If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.

If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.