Markenzy Lapointe U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida
An Italian national residing in Miami has pleaded guilty to charges related to child exploitation. Marco Pagano, 41, admitted in a Miami federal court to producing child sexual abuse material and engaging in international promotional money laundering as part of his crimes.
Pagano's activities spanned from March 2023 to April 2024, during which he communicated with minors online, including four girls aged 14 to 16 from the United Kingdom. He used online payment systems over 180 times to send thousands of dollars from the United States to these minors. In return, he requested and received illegal pornographic images and videos through a social media platform.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 9 at 9:00 a.m. before United States District Court Judge Robert N. Scola in Miami. Pagano could face a life sentence.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of FBI Miami. The investigation was conducted by FBI Miami, with Assistant United States Attorney Zachary A. Keller prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. The project aims to locate, apprehend, and prosecute offenders while identifying and rescuing victims.
For more information on Project Safe Childhood, visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. Anyone with information about child sexual exploitation or abuse is encouraged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
Court documents can be accessed on the Southern District of Florida's website under case number 24-cr-20360.
