2 Pennsylvania men arrested for child sex trafficking charges

PHILADELPHIA — Two men are in custody facing child sex trafficking charges after a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigation led to their arrest.

The Scranton, Pennsylvania, residents were indicted April 28, 2015, by a federal grand jury for sex trafficking of a minor and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of minor and related charges.  Jimmy Cantelmo, aged 26, and Mark Matis "Koolaid," aged 26, allegedly conspired with each other and others to persuade a female minor to engage in prostitution and illegal sexual activity from February through August 2014.

The indictment alleges that the defendants and/or their co-conspirators used a cell phone to post advertisements for "escort services" involving the minor female on a website, rented motel rooms in Lackawanna and Luzerne, Pennsylvania, counties to facilitate the prostitution activities, purchased condoms for the minor to use when engaging in commercial sex acts, and acted as "bodyguards" for the minor during prostitution activities.

Cantelmo and Matis are formally charged with conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor and sex trafficking of a minor as aiders and abettors. Cantelmo is also charged with attempting to commit sex trafficking of a minor on Aug. 26, 2014, and using a means and facility of interstate commerce to attempt to persuade and induce a minor to engage in prostitution on Aug. 26, 2014.

Cantelmo was arrested last week and Matis was arraigned Monday.

The charges stem from an investigation by HSI and the Pennsylvania State Police. Each charge is punishable by a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a possible maximum sentence of life in prison.

This investigation was conducted under HSI's Operation Predator, an international initiative to protect children from sexual predators. Since the launch of Operation Predator in 2003, HSI has arrested more than 10,000 individuals for crimes against children, including the production and distribution of online child pornography, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking of children. In fiscal year 2014, more than 2,300 individuals were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative and more than 1,000 victims identified or rescued.

HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators. From outside the U.S. and Canada, callers should dial 802-872-6199. Hearing impaired users can call TTY 802-872-6196. Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST.

For additional information about wanted suspected child predators, download HSI's Operation Predator smartphone app or visit the online suspect alerts page.