District of Columbia | New Orleans Man Sentenced in D.C. for Coercing and Enticing a Minor

Joseph Gallina, 34, of New Orleans, Louisiana, was sentenced on November 3, 2026, to 120 months in federal prison in U.S. District Court for coercing and enticed a minor to produce sexually explicit material, the U.S. Department of Justice reported.

Ten-Year Prison Sentence Imposed in Federal Court

Chief Judge James E. Boasberg handed down the 120-month prison term alongside five years of supervised release. Gallina must also register as a sex offender following his release from custody.

Gallina pleaded guilty on April 30, 2026, to one count of coercion and enticement of a minor. Court documents show the offenses began in July 2024.

At that time, Gallina used text messages and multiple mobile applications to contact a minor child. He instructed the victim to create sexually explicit photos and videos of herself and send them to him.

Online Exploitation and District of Columbia Encounters

During the online messaging, Gallina told the minor that their interactions must remain hidden from her family. He told the child that because she was a minor, he could get into trouble and she would have to cut off contact with her relatives.

Gallina then published a solicitation on a fetish website. The post featured the explicit images produced by the minor and sought to arrange meetings between the child and adult men in the District of Columbia.

Several men responded to the online advertisement. One of those respondents traveled to the District, met the minor child, and engaged in sexual activity with her.

Court records state that Gallina instructed the child to record a video of the encounter and gave explicit directions on what to say and do. When the child failed to record the meeting, Gallina expressed disappointment.

Federal Task Force Investigates Child Exploitation Case

U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro condemned the conduct in public statements following the sentencing hearing. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Karen Shinskie.

The FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force investigated the case. FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office joined in announcing the sentence.

The case formed part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood initiative. Established in February 2006 by the Attorney General, the nationwide program coordinates federal, state, and local agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children over the internet while identifying and rescuing victims.

Court records for the prosecution are docketed under case number 24cr529.