New sex trafficking law results in first guilty verdict in Tampa
TAMPA, Fla. – In the first verdict from the updated federal sex trafficking law, a Tampa man was found guilty of attempted sex trafficking of a child by a federal jury on Sept. 12. He faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. This case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
According to evidence presented at trial, Matheus William Geronasso, 23, of Tampa, responded to an advertisement posted on Backpage.com by a person looking for individuals willing to pay to have sex with his girlfriend’s 14-year-old daughter. Unbeknownst to Geronasso, the ad had been placed by an undercover agent with HSI. Geronasso sent several text messages stating that he wanted to have sex with the 14-year-old girl. After negotiating the price, Geronasso drove to the designated location, met with an undercover agent, and paid to have sex with the child. He was indicted on March 26 and his sentencing hearing is scheduled for Dec. 14, 2016.
“Not only have we stopped a predator from harming children,” said Susan L. McCormick, special agent in charge of HSI Tampa. “But this verdict also sets precedence that the demand for child sex trafficking, by “johns,” is a crime that will be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
On May 29, 2015, S. 178, the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015, was signed into law. It included the attempted sex trafficking of a child, in other words, addressing the demand and investigating and prosecuting the customers, or “johns.” The code was updated to add the words “solicits or patronizes” to the sex trafficking statute making absolutely clear for judges, juries, prosecutors, and law enforcement officials that criminals who purchase sexual acts from human trafficking victims may be arrested, prosecuted, and convicted as sex trafficking offenders when this is merited by the facts of a particular case.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lisa M. Thelwell and Josephine W. Thomas, with the office of U.S. Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III, Middle District of Florida.
This investigation was conducted under HSI’s Operation Predator, an international initiative to protect children from sexual predators. Since the launch of Operation Predator in 2003, HSI has arrested more than 14,000 individuals for crimes against children, including the production and distribution of online child pornography, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking of children. In fiscal year 2015, nearly 2,400 individuals were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative and more than 1,000 victims identified or rescued.
HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators. From outside the U.S. and Canada, callers should dial 802-872-6199. Hearing impaired users can call TTY 802-872-6196.
Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST.
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