Former music teacher sent to prison for child pornography

HOUSTON – A 56-year-old former Houston resident has been ordered to federal prison after admitting he received and possessed child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery. 

Robert Gasper Peri pleaded guilty Dec. 9, 2020.

Today, U.S. District Judge Keith P. Ellison sentenced him to 135 months in federal prison. Peri will also serve 10 years on supervised release following completion of his prison terms, during which time he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. He will further be ordered to pay restitution to the victims and will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.

Peri had access to children for more than 30 years as a music teacher.

The investigation revealed he had been communicating and trafficking child pornography with other individuals.

In October 2019, law enforcement learned Peri’s email address was distributing suspected child pornography. Authorities executed a search warrant of his email address and at his residence, at which time they seized various electronic devices.

Forensic analysis resulted in the discovery of 706 images and 143 videos of child pornography including children under the age of five, sadism and masochism.

Peri was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Zahra Jivani Fenelon is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources link on that page.