NJ man convicted of 'sex tourism' gets 25 years
Reported by the Associated Press
Wed May 27, 7:00 pm ET
PHILADELPHIA – A federal judge has sentenced a wealthy New Jersey businessman to 25 years in prison on charges he traveled to eastern Europe to MOLEST BOYS in exchange for money and gifts.
Forty-five-year-old Anthony Mark Bianchi of North Wildwood, N.J., was sentenced Wednesday. He was convicted of having sex or attempting to have sex with at least a half-dozen boys on trips from 2003 to 2005.
Several boys were brought to Philadelphia from their isolated village in Moldova to testify against Bianchi during the 2007 trial. He has been in prison since his arrest in January 2006.
Bianchi's defense lawyer has said the defense was crippled by the government's threat to have his Moldovan co-counsel charged with witness intimidation if he came to Philadelphia to testify.
PHILADELPHIA - Today, a federal court jury returned guilty verdicts on all counts against Anthony Mark Bianchi, including traveling in foreign commerce for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct (4 counts), engaging in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place (3 counts), using a facility in foreign commerce to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity (2 counts), and conspiracy.
Bianchi, of Wildwood, N.J., committed his crimes in Moldova and Romania. He was charged under a 2003 federal law that makes it illegal for Americans to commit sexual crimes against children in foreign countries. Ten of the victims crossed the globe to share their horrifying ordeal with an American jury.
"Sexual predators are a threat no matter the country in which they choose to commit their crimes. What makes this case so reprehensible is that this defendant PREYED on UNIQUELY VULNERABLE CHILDREN away from the spotlight of our justice system. It is gratifying that with its verdict, the jury has sent a strong message of deterrence; that Americans WILL NOT TOLERATE countrymen who travel overseas to pursue their victims," said U.S. Attorney Patrick Meehan.
The guidelines Bianchi faces range from 292 to 365 months. He also faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 5 years for counts 9 and 10. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 1.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement was the investigating agency. The case also received assistance from the following: U.S. Embassy Moldova, U.S. Embassy Romania, Diplomatic Security Services, Center for Combating Trafficking Against Women & Children (Moldova), Romanian Organized Crime Police, Cape May County Prosecutor's Office, and North Wildwood Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Michael L. Levy and Kenya S. Mann prosecuted the case.
***************************************************************
Here's a little more information regarding the WEALTHY NEW JERSEY BUSINESSMAN from the EndHumanTrafficing website dated August 3, 2007. Data was compiled by Shannon Dietrich:
Anthony Mark Bianchi, 44 a WEALTHY MOTEL OWNER from New Jersey was convicted Friday of traveling to eastern Europe to SEXUALLY ASSAULT impoverished boys in exchange for money and gifts. Bianchi was convicted of having sex with or attempting to have sex with four boys on foreign soil, including in the isolated Moldovan village of Trebujeni, in exchange for money, food, liquor, trips and gifts. Bianchi's lawyer told that the man just loved to travel and did not have any alterior motives. There were many Moldovan boys that testified, through translators, of being assaulted in the boarding houses where Bianchi stayed during his trips.
No comments:
Post a Comment