Scranton Man Sentenced To More Than 12 Years In Prison For Role In Sex Trafficking Conspiracy

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that a 28-year-old Scranton resident was sentenced today to 151 months in prison by Senior U.S. District Court Judge James M. Munley in Scranton, for his role in a sex trafficking conspiracy involving a minor.

According to United States Attorney Peter Smith, the defendant, Sean Cantelmo, previously pleaded guilty to conspiring with others to have a 17-year-old female engage in prostitution and illegal sexual activity during February through May 2014. Cantelmo admitted that he and others used a cell phone to post advertisements for “escort services” involving the minor female on a website, rented motel rooms in Lackawanna and Luzerne Counties to facilitate the prostitution activities, and purchased condoms for the minor to use when engaging in commercial sex acts.

Cantelmo was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2014, as a result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Lackawanna District Attorney’s Office.

Judge Munley also ordered Cantelmo to serve 10 years on supervised release following his prison sentence. Cantelmo must also undergo sex offender treatment and must comply with the registration and notification requirements of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a

nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit  www.usdoj.gov/psc For more information about internet safety education, please visit  www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."

Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis P. Sempa prosecuted the case.

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