Jacksonville, Florida – United States District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced Anthony Davis Stagnitta (23, St. Petersburg) to eight years and four months in federal prison for distributing child sex abuse videos over the internet. Stagnitta was also ordered to pay $132,415 in restitution to victims and to register as a sex offender.
Stagnitta had pleaded guilty on May 16, 2019.
According to court documents, in February 2018, agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) began an investigation into the sexual exploitation of children that was occurring on a popular messaging application. The agents discovered that between November 24 and December 3, 2017, Stagnitta had engaged in online conversations with other users in a public group chat on the app and had discussed trading child pornography. On December 3, 2017, Stagnitta sent a video to the group that depicted the sadistic sexual abuse of an infant.
On April 30, 2018, HSI agents executed a federal search warrant at Stagnitta’s home in Jacksonville. During an interview, Stagnitta admitted that he had discussed child pornography using this app, had sent child sex abuse videos to others users via private messaging, and had posted videos in the group chats. Forensic analysis of Stagnitta’s cellphone revealed that it contained 2,904 images depicting children being sexually abused.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
