Bronx Man Sentenced To 20 Years In Prison For Enticement Of Multiple Minors To Engage In Illegal Sexual Activity

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that MICHAEL BARRETO was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla to 20 years in prison for repeatedly enticing minors to meet him for illegal sexual activity over the course of more than a decade and receipt of child pornography.  BARRETO previously pled guilty to three counts of enticement and three counts of receipt of child pornography. 

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Over the course of more than a decade, Michael Barreto repeatedly victimized minors in his community in the Bronx.  Barreto tried and succeeded in luring minors to meet him for illegal sexual activity, often by lying to the victims about his own age.  Today’s sentence shows that this abhorrent conduct will not be tolerated and will lead to a lengthy prison sentence.  This Office is committed to prosecuting those who prey on children.”

According to court filings and statements made in court proceedings:

In 2008, BARRETO, age 19 or 20, had sex with one victim, age 14, and then told the victim to run away from home and lie about their relationship.  In 2017, BARRETO, age 29, met a second victim, age 13, at a store in the Bronx, New York.  BARRETO lied about his age and began an illegal sexual relationship with him.  Two years after meeting, BARRETO surreptitiously recorded illegal sexual activity between himself and the victim.  In 2018, BARRETO, age 30, exchanged sexual Facebook messages with a third victim, age 14, lied about his own age, and encouraged the victim to travel to BARRETO’s apartment in the Bronx.  This victim in fact traveled to BARRETO’s apartment, where BARRETO engaged in illegal sexual activity with him.  In 2018 and 2019, BARRETO exchanged sexual messages with three other victims, each age 14 or 15, lied about his age to each, and eventually received nude photographs constituting child pornography from the victims.

Apart from these victims, from approximately 2017 through 2019, BARRETO attempted to entice more than a dozen other minors using social media chat platforms.  In these chats, BARRETO frequently lied about his own age, sent flirtatious and sexual messages, and expressed an interest in meeting with the minor victims in person to engage in sexual activity.

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In addition to the prison term, BARRETO, 34, of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced to 10 years of supervised release, ordered to pay $9,000 in restitution, and ordered to pay a $300 assessment pursuant to the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of New York City Police Department.  He also thanked the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, for its assistance.

This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kedar S. Bhatia and Brandon D. Harper are in charge of the prosecution.