New Orleans Man Charged With Sexual Exploitation of Children and Transferring Obscene Matter to a Minor

According to the indictment, at various dates in late 2022 and early 2023, VALOTTA coerced a minor female born in August 2007, who was a resident of North Carolina (Victim 1), and a minor female born in July 2008, who was a resident of Ohio (Victim 2), to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of that conduct.  Further, on at least two dates in late 2022, VALOTTA transferred obscene matter to a minor female born in March 2008, who was a resident of North Carolina (Victim 3).

As to each of Counts 1 and 2, VALOTTA faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of fifteen (15) years and a maximum term of imprisonment of thirty (30) years.  He also faces, for each of Counts 1 and 2, a minimum of five (5) years and a maximum of a lifetime of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.  As to each of Counts 3 and 4, VALOTTA faces a maximum term of ten years in prison, as well as up to three (3) years of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.  He may also be required to register as a sex offender.

U. S. Attorney Evans reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.  Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter.  Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg, Chief of the Public Integrity Unit, is in charge of the prosecution.