FLORIDA — In a chilling case of online predatory behavior, Michael Joseph Armano (43), a resident of Pinellas County, has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for child enticement and possession of child pornography. Judge Richard A. Lazzara also ordered Armano to pay $72,415 in restitution.
Armano pleaded guilty on January 12, 2017, admitting to using fake social media accounts to pose as a child and prey on at least 60 young victims. He coerced them into producing and streaming lewd images to him over the internet. Court documents revealed that Armano possessed over 100,000 images of child pornography.
Susan L. McCormick, special agent in charge of HSI Tampa, emphasized the severity of the sentence: ‘Today’s sentencing ensures this criminal will never again be in a position of trust. This predator has abused children in ways that will affect them for their entire lives, and we hope this significant sentence can provide some closure to the innocent victims while serving as a grave warning to parents about online vigilance.’
The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, with prosecution led by Assistant United States Attorneys Gregory T. Nolan and Amanda Kaiser.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes|Cybercrime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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