Press Release
FORMER PINE CREST SCHOOL SWIM COACH PLEADS GUILTY TO TRANSPORTATION OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY
March 6, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
R. Alexander Acosta, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Anthony V. Mangione, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Office of Investigations, Jonathan I. Solomon, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Al Lamberti, Sheriff, Broward County Sheriff’s Office (BSO), announced today that defendant Roberto M. Caragol, 35, formerly an assistant swim coach at Pine Crest School, in Fort Lauderdale, pled guilty yesterday to transporting child pornography. The defendant entered his plea before United States District Judge Kenneth Marra in West Palm Beach.
According to the criminal complaint filed with the United States District Court, the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), a group of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies aimed at combatting child exploitation, received a Cybertip from America Online that Caragol was distributing child pornography on the Internet. Thereafter, deputies from the Broward Sheriff’s Office and ICE agents interviewed Caragol and recovered a computer from his residence. A subsequent forensic examination of the computer revealed approximately 40 thumbnail images of young boys under the age of 18, engaged in sexual activity.
According to the factual proffer filed in court yesterday, Caragol admitted to transporting child pornography and engaging in sexual activity with five underage boys and to having a sexual relationship with an underage female he met at a swimming related event. A criminal investigation of these matters is ongoing.
Mr. Acosta commended the investigative efforts of the Broward Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brent Tantillo.
If you have more information the criminal activity described in this press release or concerns please contact the Broward County Sheriff’s Office Sex Crimes Division at (954) 321-4240.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
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