Earlier today in Central Islip federal court, Renee Hoberman, also known as “Rina,” was sentenced to 84 months in prison for the receipt and distribution of child pornography. Hoberman is a licensed social worker who worked as a mental health counselor for children and adolescents.
United States District Judge Joanna Seybert issued the sentence. The announcement came from Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Michael Alfonso, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York; and Patrick Ryder, Commissioner of the Nassau County Police Department.
“Today, Renee Hoberman was sentenced for distributing sordid images and videos depicting the horrific sexual abuse of the most innocent and vulnerable members of our society: infants and children,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “The defendant’s access to children has come to an end. Our Office will relentlessly pursue child predators and hold them accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
“The absolute depravity of Renee Hoberman’s crimes, committed while she was entrusted as a mental health counselor for children, represents a staggering betrayal of the public trust and a horrific violation of innocent lives,” stated HSI New York Acting Special Agent in Charge Alfonso. “I hope the defendant’s sentencing delivers a measure of justice to the Long Island community and offers hope for healing to her traumatized victims, who deserve to know that their suffering has not gone unanswered. HSI New York and our partners relentlessly investigated this case, and we remain unyielding in our commitment to protect vulnerable communities from predators in every form.”
Court documents show that Hoberman used encrypted social media messaging applications to upload, receive, and trade digital videos and images showing minors involved in sexually explicit conduct. This included videos with infants aged six months to one year being physically restrained and assaulted by adults. Hoberman also participated in online chats about child sexual molestation while pretending to be a father abusing his own children. She described acts involving these fictional children during chats with others online and shared two videos containing child sexual abuse material that she claimed depicted her own children.
Hoberman’s offenses took place while she was employed as a counselor for young people. She was arrested on October 23, 2024, pleaded guilty on June 18, 2025, and has been held since her arrest.
This prosecution falls under Project Safe Childhood—a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation through collaboration among federal prosecutors like those at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, state agencies, and local authorities.
The case was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Kaitlin McTague with support from Paralegal Specialist Janelle Robinson at the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The office manages federal crime prosecutions across Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, Nassau County, Suffolk County—with offices located in Brooklyn and Central Islip—and is led by United States Attorney Breon Peace (source). In addition to prosecuting criminal cases like this one involving child exploitation offenses online or otherwise targeting minors via internet platforms or other means (source), it also supports community outreach programs designed to assist victims.
The defendant is identified as:
RENEE HOBERMAN (“Rina”), age 38
Plainview, New York
E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-463 (JS)
