Man Admits Enticing Minor To Engage In Sexual Activity

Defendant Pleads Guilty on Friday; Trial Was to Have Begun Today

DALLAS, Texas — Phillip Amisano-Camillo, 42, a resident of Canada, pleaded guilty on Friday, before U.S. District Judge Jorge A. Solis, to one count of enticement of a minor. His trial, on a two-count indictment charging not only enticement, but also one count of traveling with intent to engage in sexual acts with a minor, was to have begun this morning in federal court in Dallas. The announcement was made today by U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña of the Northern District of Texas.

According to the plea agreement filed in the case, the parties agree that the appropriate term of imprisonment is not more than 480 months, if the court accepts the plea agreement. Sentencing is set for December 18, 2013, before Judge Solis.

According to documents filed in the case, Camillo admits that he met John Doe in an Internet chat room in April 2012. In the days and weeks after he met Doe, who he knew was a 14-year-old minor, Camillo “chatted” online with him via Skype. Camillo admits that in May 2012 he traveled from Washington State to Dallas to meet John Doe for a sexual encounter. Camillo also admits that before and during his time in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, he enticed and persuaded John Doe to sneak out of his home and meet him to engage in unlawful sexual activity. Camillo admits that he took John Doe to a local hotel and engaged in sexual activity with him.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative, which was launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/. For more information about internet safety education, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/ and click on the tab “resources.”

The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Irving Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa J. Miller is in charge of the prosecution.