December 4, 2015

Northampton County Man Gets 50 Years in Prison for Child Exploitation

ALLENTOWN, PA—Brent S. Galletta, 43, of Nazareth, PA, was sentenced today to 50 years in prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for using a facility and means of interstate commerce to attempt to entice an individual, whom he believed was seven-years old, to engage in illegal sexual activity. The jury found Galletta guilty on September 2, 2015 of that charge plus one count of transportation of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Edward G. Smith ordered Galletta to pay a $10,000 fine, and a $300 special assessment.

Galletta posted several advertisements on the website Craigslist.com seeking to find “pervy dads.” Galletta was attempting to find another man who had access to young children that he could abuse sexually. Galletta communicated with at least five separate individuals attempting to find such a target. The craigslist posting was brought to the attention of Agent Justin Leri of the Office of the Pennsylvania Attorney General. Agent Leri responded to Galletta’s Craigslist post in an undercover capacity and stated he had a seven-year old daughter. Galletta communicated with Agent Leri, believing him to be a father of a seven-year-old that would allow Galletta access to the child for sexual purposes. A meeting was arranged and Galletta showed up in a parking lot in South Whitehall Township, Pennsylvania in order to meet the seven-year old and her father. When he arrived he was arrested by Agent Leri. Galletta had over two dozen images of prepubescent girls in bathing suits on his mobile phone as well as three images depicting the sexual abuse of minors that he had deleted. Galletta also sent an image of child pornography to another man through the Internet.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sherri A. Stephan.