Harrisburg Man Sentenced To 20 Years Imprisonment For Attempt To Obtain Children For Sexual Activity

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that on November 6, Matthew Baratucci, age 29, of Harrisburg, was sentenced by Senior United States District Court Judge Sylvia H. Rambo to 240 months’ (20 years) imprisonment, a $1,100 fine and ten years of supervision following his release from imprisonment, after pleading guilty to coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity.

According to U.S. Attorney Peter Smith, and as presented to the Court by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daryl Bloom, in October of 2013, Baratucci solicited two women for the purpose of obtaining children with whom he intended to engage in sexual activity.  One woman related that Baratucci wanted her to provide two children she babysat, ages five and nine, threatened the woman with violence if the children were not provided.  Investigators assumed the woman’s identity and arranged to meet Baratucci for the exchange of $150 for the two children.  When investigators attempted to arrest Baratucci, he tried to flee, crashing into a vehicle before he was ultimately stopped by law enforcement.  Baratucci pled guilty on May 21, 2014.

This case was the result of a collaborative effort between federal and state law enforcement.  Attorney General Kathleen Kane commented “we will continue to work with our Federal, State and Local partners to hunt down and convict these predators”

The investigation was conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General and the Pennsylvania State Police with the assistance of the Lower Paxton Township Police Department.