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Press Release

Philadelphia Woman Pleads Guilty to Charges of Child Enticement, Manufacturing of Child Pornography

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Pennsylvania

PHILADELPHIA – First Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Linda Paolini, 44, of Philadelphia, PA, pleaded guilty today before United States District Judge Nitza I. Quiñones Alejandro to two counts of manufacturing and attempted manufacturing of child pornography, and one count of online enticement of a minor.

The charges arise out of a telephone tip received by the FBI about Paolini, who was pretending to be an underage girl for the purpose of luring underage boys online. The defendant communicated through Instagram with one particular boy, soliciting him for videos of himself masturbating. She and her victim exchanged over 50,000 Instagram messages over the course of a few months, including explicit and sexually charged chats.

“Paolini’s conduct is reprehensible, and her days of exploiting and victimizing children online are over,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Williams. “Child sexual exploitation is appallingly pervasive, and exacerbated by the easy availability of digital media and communications. This case serves as a message to all adults who care for children: please monitor what they do online. And as always, we stand ready with our federal partners to identify and prosecute these criminals.”

Paolini faces life imprisonment, with a mandatory minimum of at least 15 years, a mandatory term of at least 5 years but up to a lifetime of supervised release, a $750,000 fine, and $15,300 in special assessments.

The case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Rinaldi.

Contact

UNITED STATES ATTORNEY’S OFFICE
EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA
Suite 1250, 615 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106

JENNIFER CRANDALL
Media Contact
215-861-8300

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Updated October 31, 2019

Topic
Project Safe Childhood