December 6, 2022

TRENTON, N.J. – A Monmouth County, New Jersey, man today admitted producing multiple videos depicting him sexually assaulting a minor, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

Christian Importuna, 27, of Englishtown, New Jersey, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Peter G. Sheridan to one count of an indictment charging him with production of child pornography.

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 production of the images through physical identifiers that were visible in the subject videos.

The charge of production of child pornography, 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.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents the FBI Newark Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.

The government is represented by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn Barnes of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.

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Defense counsel: Carol Dominguez Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender, Newark

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