New Port Richey Man Indicted On Charges Of Producing Child Porn

NEW PORT RICHEY, FL -- A New Port Richey man has been indicted on federal charges of enticement of a minor and with producing, distributing and possessing child pornography.

The indictments follow an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

According to the indictment, between 2015 and January 2017, William Matthew Napolitano, 35, of New Port Richey enticed and coerced a minor to engage in sexual activity. Napolitano is also charged with persuading a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography in June 2015. If convicted on all counts, Napolitano faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison.

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 16,000 people 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 2017, more than 2,700 child predators were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative and more than 900 victims identified or rescued.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Murray with the office of U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez, Middle District of Florida.

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.

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.

Image via ICE

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