Jordan Viscomi, who taught at Oakdale dance studio, faces new child-related sex charge, documents show
Jordan Viscomi, a former teacher at an Oakdale dance studio, was charged with making sexually explicit videos with teen students, officials say. Credit: Tom Lambui
Jordan Viscomi, the professional dancer and former instructor at an Oakdale dance studio who was arrested earlier this month on child-related sex charges, is facing a new charge in federal court.
Viscomi, 30, of Centereach, was charged with sexual exploitation of a minor following an investigation by the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.
The new charge, filed under seal in federal court May 23, is related to the same incidents involving two teenage students at David Sanders Dance Dynamics, where Viscomi taught.
Documents unsealed following Viscomi’s arraignment have shed new light on the allegations, which stem from a series of text messages between Viscomi and the two teens and three FaceTime calls he had with them between April 7 and April 9.
An affidavit from a Suffolk police detective working on the task force states that before engaging in sexual activity on FaceTime calls with the girls, ages 15 and 16, Viscomi sent text message emojis showing one “adult male with two childlike females” and wrote #jail.
Viscomi allegedly asked the girls in another April 7 text message “at what point does this relationship become like real?,” the task force member stated in a sworn affidavit.
“We keep it a secret from [deleted] … & the rest of the world & secretly are lovers,” Viscomi allegedly texted the teens.
The first explicit FaceTime call occurred later that night, prosecutors said.
"Jordan and I await the evidence that the Government believes is important to proving their case against him," defense attorney Stven Politi of Central Islip said in a statement. "When all the facts are heard we believe the picture that has been painted by both the state and federal prosecutors will look far different than is currently being suggested."
Polit said his client has taught dance for more than 18 years," working without incident."
Politi is handling the federal case with attorney Glenn Obedin of Central Islip.
Assistant United States Attorney Megan Farrell wrote in a letter to Magistrate Judge Lee Dunst that Viscomi used his position at the dance studio to “groom” the students, one of whom he had known for about 8 years.
“After the first sexually explicit FaceTime conversation, [Viscomi] told the victims that he was ‘falling in love’ and ‘catching feelings,’ that they were his girlfriends, and that ‘this is only day 1 of our relationship im sure theres a lot of fun still left to have,” Farrell wrote. He referred to himself and the teens as a “throuple,” she added.
During that first call, which occurred while the teens were together shortly after midnight April 7, Viscomi touched and showed the victims his private parts, the FBI task force investigator said in her affidavit. In the final call, made after midnight April 9, Viscomi “instructed the [teens] … to touch themselves," the investigator said. At 3:15 a.m., one of the teens allegedly took an accidental screenshot, which Viscomi told her to delete, according to the affidavit.
On April 19, the father of one of the teens reported the conduct to Suffolk police, and Viscomi was arrested May 17 and arraigned in county court for use of a child in a sexual performance and other charges the following day.
Dunst, at the request of prosecutors, denied bail for Viscomi, who faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and maximum 30 years if convicted in federal court of sexual exploitation of a minor.
Farrell told the judge that cellphone records obtained by investigators show Viscomi admitted confessing to his mother, who she said also teaches at David Sanders Dance Dynamics and had regular interactions with the teens.
Reached by telephone Monday, Sanders, the studio’s owner, said Viscomi’s mother is still employed at the studio.
Sanders, who said he immediately suspended Viscomi “pending further investigation" when he learned of the allegations before his arrest, said he stands by a statement he sent to Newsday May 18.
“The safety of our students and the dance community at large is a top priority to us,” Sanders said in an email Thursday. “We have policies in place that speak specifically to conduct and behavior with students."
Viscomi is a professional dancer who performed on Broadway at age 10 in a production of "Gypsy." He has also toured with pop mega-acts The Jonas Brothers, Nicki Minaj and Ariana Grande, according to an online biography at another dance school where he taught.
Jordan Viscomi, the professional dancer and former instructor at an Oakdale dance studio who was arrested earlier this month on child-related sex charges, is facing a new charge in federal court.
Viscomi, 30, of Centereach, was charged with sexual exploitation of a minor following an investigation by the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.
The new charge, filed under seal in federal court May 23, is related to the same incidents involving two teenage students at David Sanders Dance Dynamics, where Viscomi taught.
Documents unsealed following Viscomi’s arraignment have shed new light on the allegations, which stem from a series of text messages between Viscomi and the two teens and three FaceTime calls he had with them between April 7 and April 9.
WHAT TO KNOW
- Dancer Jordan Viscomi has been charged in federal court with sexual exploitation of a minor for a series of alleged sexually explicit FaceTime calls with two teenage students from the Oakdale dance studio where he taught.
- If convicted, Viscomi faces between 15 and 30 years in prison.
- Viscomi is a professional dancer who performed in Gypsy on Broadway and has toured with pop superstars The Jonas Brothers, Nicki Minaj and Ariana Grande.
An affidavit from a Suffolk police detective working on the task force states that before engaging in sexual activity on FaceTime calls with the girls, ages 15 and 16, Viscomi sent text message emojis showing one “adult male with two childlike females” and wrote #jail.
Viscomi allegedly asked the girls in another April 7 text message “at what point does this relationship become like real?,” the task force member stated in a sworn affidavit.
“We keep it a secret from [deleted] … & the rest of the world & secretly are lovers,” Viscomi allegedly texted the teens.
The first explicit FaceTime call occurred later that night, prosecutors said.
"Jordan and I await the evidence that the Government believes is important to proving their case against him," defense attorney Stven Politi of Central Islip said in a statement. "When all the facts are heard we believe the picture that has been painted by both the state and federal prosecutors will look far different than is currently being suggested."
Polit said his client has taught dance for more than 18 years," working without incident."
Politi is handling the federal case with attorney Glenn Obedin of Central Islip.
Assistant United States Attorney Megan Farrell wrote in a letter to Magistrate Judge Lee Dunst that Viscomi used his position at the dance studio to “groom” the students, one of whom he had known for about 8 years.
“After the first sexually explicit FaceTime conversation, [Viscomi] told the victims that he was ‘falling in love’ and ‘catching feelings,’ that they were his girlfriends, and that ‘this is only day 1 of our relationship im sure theres a lot of fun still left to have,” Farrell wrote. He referred to himself and the teens as a “throuple,” she added.
During that first call, which occurred while the teens were together shortly after midnight April 7, Viscomi touched and showed the victims his private parts, the FBI task force investigator said in her affidavit. In the final call, made after midnight April 9, Viscomi “instructed the [teens] … to touch themselves," the investigator said. At 3:15 a.m., one of the teens allegedly took an accidental screenshot, which Viscomi told her to delete, according to the affidavit.
On April 19, the father of one of the teens reported the conduct to Suffolk police, and Viscomi was arrested May 17 and arraigned in county court for use of a child in a sexual performance and other charges the following day.
Dunst, at the request of prosecutors, denied bail for Viscomi, who faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and maximum 30 years if convicted in federal court of sexual exploitation of a minor.
Farrell told the judge that cellphone records obtained by investigators show Viscomi admitted confessing to his mother, who she said also teaches at David Sanders Dance Dynamics and had regular interactions with the teens.
Reached by telephone Monday, Sanders, the studio’s owner, said Viscomi’s mother is still employed at the studio.
Sanders, who said he immediately suspended Viscomi “pending further investigation" when he learned of the allegations before his arrest, said he stands by a statement he sent to Newsday May 18.
“The safety of our students and the dance community at large is a top priority to us,” Sanders said in an email Thursday. “We have policies in place that speak specifically to conduct and behavior with students."
Viscomi is a professional dancer who performed on Broadway at age 10 in a production of "Gypsy." He has also toured with pop mega-acts The Jonas Brothers, Nicki Minaj and Ariana Grande, according to an online biography at another dance school where he taught.
Grant Parpan covers Suffolk County courts and federal courts for Newsday. A Long Island native, he joined Newsday in 2022.
Watch live: NewsdayTV's coverage of LI Votes 2024 continues with reports from Nassau and Suffolk counties
Watch live: NewsdayTV's coverage of LI Votes 2024 continues with reports from Nassau and Suffolk counties
