By: Jeff Sommes
An Englishtown resident pleaded guilty on Tuesday to producing multiple videos depicting him sexually assaulting a minor, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Federal officials said Christian Importuna, 27, admitted by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Peter G. Sheridan to one count of an indictment charging him with production of Explicit Videos of a Minor.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In March 2020, Importuna produced at least two videos that showed him sexually assaulting a pre-pubescent female child.
The videos came to the attention of law enforcement on March 24, 2020, when Importuna attempted to trade images of child pornography with an undercover law enforcement official on an internet-based application.
Law enforcement officials initially linked the videos to Importuna through business records indicating that they were sent from his Englishtown residence.
The investigation further linked Importuna to the images' production through physical identifiers visible in the subject videos.
The charge of production of explicit Images of Minors carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine.
Sentencing is scheduled for April 17, 2023