A children’s therapist from Long Island, N.Y., was arrested and charged with distributing child pornography, the U.S. Justice Department announced last week.
The DOJ announced on Wednesday, Oct. 23, that Renee Hoberman was arraigned on the charges, which stemmed from an investigation into child sex abuse videos she allegedly shared and discussed on social media over a five-month period earlier in 2024.
Hoberman, 36, allegedly used social media to upload videos of infant children engaging in sexually explicit acts between June and October of this year, according to the legal complaint brought against her, the DOJ said.
The DOJ alleges Hoberman’s posts include videos of infants being raped by an adult man. According to the Justice Department’s complaint, Hobreman had also posed as a man online and chatted with other social media users about sexually abusing young children.
Hoberman allegedly sent videos showing the sexual acts taking place against infants and claimed the young children in the videos were “his” own children, bragging about punishing the kids with sexual violence, according to the complaint filed by the Justice Department.
“As alleged, Hoberman distributed heinous and disturbing child pornography,” United States Attorney Breon Peace of the Eastern District of New York said in the DOJ statement. “Our investigation into Hoberman is ongoing, and we urge anyone with information to contact HSI’s tip line. Together with our law enforcement partners, we will relentlessly pursue predators who victimize children and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law.”
Hoberman, who is also known as “Rina” Hoberman, was employed as a therapist with an organization based in Melville, N.Y., and worked with children between the ages of 0 to 17 years old, according to the DOJ.
Local ABC 7 reported that authorities searched Hoberman’s home in Plainview, N.Y., after charges were announced against her last week.
“It’s upsetting. Half our block are kids and they’re all great kids, so hearing something like that, you never know what’s going on behind closed doors and stuff like that,” neighbor Nick Randisi told the outlet.
Local News 12 in Connecticut reported that LifeStance Health, where Hoberman had been employed, said in a statement that it “immediately terminated” her after learning about the charges.
“Renee Hoberman worked in a trusted position as a therapist with children, making the allegations against her for the possession and distribution of incredibly dark and depraved child sexual abuse materials even more disturbing,” U.S. Special Agent in Charge William S. Walker for Homeland Security Investigations in New York said in a statement. “HSI is working around the clock with our partners to identify and investigate those who possess and distribute child sexual abuse imagery.”
