Pennsylvania man admits to sex trafficking minor

SCRANTON, Pa. — A Pennsylvania man pleaded guilty Wednesday to sex trafficking a minor after a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Pennsylvania State Police investigation rooted out the conspiracy.

Jimmy Cantelmo, 26, admitted to conspiring with his brother, Sean Cantelmo, and others to persuade a minor to engage in prostitution from February through August 2014.

The sex trafficking involved placing photographs of the minor along with ads in the adult “escort” section of a website; renting motel rooms in Lackawanna and Luzerne Counties, in Pennsylvania where the prostitution activities occurred; purchasing and providing condoms for the minor to use during commercial sex acts; and serving as security or “bodyguards” at the motels where the commercial sex acts took place.

Jimmy Cantelmo was indicted by a federal grand jury in Scranton in April 2015. Four people have been charged in connection with the investigation. Sean Cantelmo previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 151 months in prison. Justin Strait pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.

Judge Munley scheduled sentencing for Nov. 18, 2015. Cantelmo faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a potential maximum sentence of life in prison. Cantelmo remains detained in prison pending sentencing.

Prosecution is assigned to Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis P. Sempa.

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.