Wayne County Man Sentenced To 30 Years In Prison For Online Enticement Of A Minor

SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani sentenced Michael Jacob Walczyk, age 43, of Beach Lake, Pennsylvania, to 360 months in prison for enticement of a minor. 

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Walczyk pleaded guilty to a felony Information and admitted that, between July 10, 2019 and September 2020, he knowingly persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced a victim under the age of 18 to engage in sexual activity for the purposes of producing child pornography. Walczyk encountered the victim online in 2019, when she was 14 years old. He convinced her to produce sexually explicit photographs and videos for him and engaged in live video chats during which he directed her to perform sexual acts. Beginning in January 2020, Walczyk began to invite others to watch as the minor victim performed sexual “shows” at his direction and charged them a fee. Walczyk further engaged in verbally abusive and controlling behavior to keep the victim performing and producing child pornography for his enjoyment and profit. Walczyk used multiple mobile applications and websites to contact the child victim, and he coerced her to turn over all of her social media login information, so he could monitor her activities and exercise control.

Walczyk admitted that he used false identities to entice the victim and that he produced and distributed child pornography as part of his offense conduct. Judge Mariani found that Walczyk’s pattern of prohibited sexual conduct with a minor should result in a higher sentencing range as a repeat and dangerous sex offender against minors under the United States Sentencing Commission Guidelines.

In addition to the 30-year prison term, Judge Mariani ordered Walczyk to serve a 10-year term of supervised release, to pay $2,900 in restitution to the victim, and to forfeit assets involved in the commission of the offense, including over $3,000 in proceeds from selling admission to the child pornography livestreams.

“This case represents the worst fears of parents of young children in the age of the internet,” said U.S. Attorney Karam. “And it drives home the importance of monitoring and controlling the online activities of our children. Just as we warn our kids about the pitfalls of talking to strangers they might encounter on the street or out in public places, we must have frank conversations with children about the dangers of interacting with people they don’t know online. If someone tries to chat with a child or asks for any information or pictures, they need to know they can and should tell a trusted adult immediately. We are grateful to the brave, young victim and her family who came forward in this case, for helping to ensure that this defendant won’t be able to victimize another child.”

“Michael Walcyzk deserves each and every day of this 30-year sentence,” said Jacqueline Maguire, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “His repeated virtual invasions of his victim’s home; his sexual exploitation of her, both for his own pleasure and for profit; and the psychological torment he inflicted have changed this child’s life. Our Crimes Against Children Task Force will continue to diligently work to identify and apprehend abhorrent predators like Michael Walcyzk, whose crimes demand they be removed from society so they can’t harm anyone else.”

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean A. Camoni prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit  www.usdoj.gov/psc.      

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