Canadian resident admits in federal court in Dallas to enticing minor to engage in sexual activity

DALLAS — A resident of Canada pleaded guilty Friday before U.S. District Judge Jorge A. Solis to one count of enticing a minor.

This guilty plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña of the Northern District of Texas. This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Irving Police Department.

The trial of Phillip Amisano-Camillo, 42, 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 Aug. 19 in federal court in Dallas.

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 Dec. 18 before Judge Solis.

According to documents filed in the case, Camillo admitted 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 admitted that in May 2012 he traveled from Washington State to Dallas to meet John Doe for a sexual encounter. Camillo also admitted 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 admitted that he took John Doe to a local hotel and engaged in sexual activity with him.

The Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa J. Miller is in charge of the prosecution.

This investigation was part of Operation Predator, a nationwide HSI initiative to protect children from sexual predators, including those who travel overseas for sex with minors, Internet child pornographers, criminal alien sex offenders and child sex traffickers. HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at 1-866-347-2423 or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators.

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, 1-800-843-5678.

HSI is a founding member and current chair of the Virtual Global Taskforce, an international alliance of law enforcement agencies and private industry sector partners working together to prevent and deter online child sexual abuse.