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Miami Beach Child Pornography Arrest Used To Advocate "Revenge Porn" Legislation

Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle says this wasn't just child pornography. She says it was also "revenge porn."
Jessica Meszaros
/
WLRN
Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle says this wasn't just child pornography. She says it was also "revenge porn."
Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle says this wasn't just child pornography. She says it was also "revenge porn."
Credit Jessica Meszaros / WLRN
/
WLRN
Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle says this wasn't just child pornography. She says it was also "revenge porn."

Miami Beach police arrested Antonio Giansante Thursday for possessing and promoting child pornography. 

Antonio Giansante was arrested Thursday by Miami Beach police for possessing and promoting child pornography.
Credit State Attorney's Office
Antonio Giansante was arrested Thursday by Miami Beach police for possessing and promoting child pornography.

Giansante started having consensual sexual relations with a girl -- now in her late twenties -- back in Puerto Rico when she was 16. He was her high school soccer coach. The couple moved to Miami Beach together when she was an adult.

The affidavit says the victim broke up withGiansantein 2012. Last year,Giansanteattempted to post nude images and videos of the victim when she was 16 or 17 to her social media accounts and her job’s computer system -- a government entity that flagged the images.Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said at a press conference that this was not just a case of child pornography. She says it was also revenge porn.

"It’s a new instrumentality of domestic violence. It's a new weapon," said Rundle.

Miami Beach Commissioner Michael Grieco said if this woman wasn’t underage at the time the images were taken, then there’s nothing the city could legally do against Giansante for revenge porn.

"The message to Tallahassee is very simple: shame on you if you're not supporting legislation that gives law enforcement the tools to be able to prosecute and arrest these individuals," said Grieco.

Rundle said revenge porn legislation failed last year. But this year, advocates have bills pending in the House and the Senate to charge revenge porn as a felony crime.

Click here to read more about this case from the Miami Herald.

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Jessica Meszaros is a reporter and host of All Things Consideredfor WGCU News.