A former New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) Superintendent has been arrested on charges of possessing thousands of child pornography images and videos. Victor Alvelo, 61, was taken into custody on Tuesday after federal investigators discovered the disturbing material at his Bronx residence.
Prosecutors allege that Alvelo, who retired from the DSNY in 2025, possessed the images and videos, some depicting children as young as 12, between August 2022 and the day before his arrest. The investigation was prompted by information regarding a large quantity of child pornography being shared over a peer-to-peer file network, which was traced to an IP address associated with Alvelo's home.
During a search of Alvelo's home, law enforcement officers found a USB flash drive in the front pocket of a DSNY-branded jacket. This drive contained 154 images and videos of child pornography, along with personal photos and documents related to his sanitation duties. Additional child pornography files were also discovered on a computer hard drive in his home office.
"As a former senior public official, Victor Alvelo allegedly betrayed the confidence placed in him by the city and the public, even brazenly using his government-branded clothing to store files containing material that no person should ever possess," said HSI New York Acting Special Agent in Charge Pete Gizas in a statement.
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch stated, "Victor Alvelo allegedly possessed thousands of disturbing images of child pornography, including victims as young as 12 years old. The NYPD will be relentless in stopping predators who seek to exploit and harm children."
Alvelo faces one count of possessing child pornography. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Alvelo had previously posted pictures on his Instagram account that showed him with his family, attending concerts, and playing guitar.