Source: US FBI
Harvey, La. Man Indicted for Sexual Exploitation of Children, Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Material, Receiving Child Sexual Abuse Material, and Extortion
NEW ORLEANS – Today, the Department of Justice announced the results of Operation Restore Justice, a coordinated enforcement effort to identify, track and arrest child sex predators. The operation resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sexual abuse offenders in the nationwide crackdown. The coordinated effort was executed over the course of five days by all 55 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section in the Department’s Criminal Division, and United States Attorney’s Offices around the country.
“The Department of Justice will never stop fighting to protect victims — especially child victims — and we will not rest until we hunt down, arrest, and prosecute every child predator who preys on the most vulnerable among us,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “I am grateful to the FBI and their state and local partners for their incredible work in Operation Restore Justice and have directed my prosecutors not to negotiate.”
“Every child deserves to grow up free from fear and exploitation, and the FBI will continue to be relentless in our pursuit of those who exploit the most vulnerable among us,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Operation Restore Justice proves that no predator is out of reach and no child will be forgotten. By leveraging the strength of all our field offices and our federal, state and local partners, we’re sending a clear message: there is no place to hide for those who prey on children.”
“This joint operation signals our unrelenting effort to identify and prosecute those individuals responsible for the sexual exploitation of our nation’s youth,” stated Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson. “Together with our law enforcement partners, our office stands ready and committed to utilizing our collective resources to bring justice to both the victims and the perpetrators of these crimes.”
“The FBI is unwavering in its fight to protect children,” said Jonathan Tapp, Special Agent in Charge of FBI New Orleans. “Each arrest is a powerful testament to the tireless efforts of the FBI and our dedicated law enforcement partners to protect the most vulnerable among us. It reaffirms the FBI’s commitment to pursuing justice for victims and hold predators accountable.”
In the Eastern District of Louisiana, Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that Lance Rotolo, Jr. (“Rotolo”), age 19, a resident of Harvey, Louisiana, was indicted on May 2, 2025 on five counts including, sexual exploitation of children, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2251(a) (Counts 1 and 2), distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252(a)(2) (Count 3), receiving CSAM, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252(a)(2) (Count 4), and transmitting extortionate interstate communications, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 875(d) (Count 5).
According to the indictment, on or about December 19, 2024, Rotolo produced, and attempted to produce, a visual depiction of a female born in June 2011 (Victim 1) engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Additionally, between on or about January 12, 2025, and on or about February 17, 2025, Rotolo produced and attempted to produce a visual depiction of a female born in July 2009 (Victim 2) engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Rotolo also distributed visual depictions of minors, including children as young as approximately less than one (1) year old, engaging in sexually explicit conduct, such as a video Rotolo distributed on or about February 28, 2025. Rotolo also received visual depictions of minors as young as less than one (1) year old engaging in sexually explicit conduct, including a video he received on or about November 16, 2024. Finally, Rotolo sent Victim 2 messages threatening that he would send sexually explicit content Victim 2 had previously sent him, to Victim 2’s friends and family, unless Victim 2 continued to send Rotolo sexually explicit visual depictions.
Rotolo faces a mandatory minimum of fifteen (15) years in prison and a maximum term of imprisonment of thirty (30) years as to each of Counts 1 and 2. He faces a mandatory minimum of five (5) years in prison and a maximum term of imprisonment of twenty (20) years as to each of Counts 3 and 4. He faces up to two (2) years in prison as to Count 5. Rotolo further faces at least five years, and up to a lifetime, of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and payment of a mandatory $100 special assessment fee, for each count. He may also be required to register as a sex offender.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg, Chief of the Public Integrity Unit, is in charge of the prosecution.
Others arrested around the country are alleged to have committed various crimes including the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material, online enticement and transportation of minors, and child sex trafficking. In Minneapolis, for example, a state trooper and Army Reservist was arrested for allegedly producing child sexual abuse material while wearing his uniforms. In Norfolk, VA, an illegal alien from Mexico is accused of transporting a minor across state lines for sex. In Washington, D.C., a former Metropolitan Police Department Police Officer was arrested for allegedly trafficking minor victims.
In many cases, parental vigilance and community outreach efforts played a critical role in bringing these offenders to justice. For example, a California man was arrested about eight hours after a young victim bravely came forward and disclosed their abuse to FBI agents after an online safety presentation at a school near Albany, N.Y.
This effort follows the Department’s observance of National Child Abuse Prevention Month in April, and underscores the Department’s unwavering commitment to protecting children and raising awareness about the dangers they face. While the Department, including the FBI, investigates and prosecutes these crimes every day, April serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of preventing these crimes, seeking justice for victims, and raising awareness through community education.
The Justice Department is committed to combating child sexual exploitation. These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org.
The Department urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI’s tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office.
Other online resources:
Violent Crimes Against Children
How we can help you: Parents and caregivers protecting your kids
An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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