An Italian national is scheduled to appear before Perth Magistrates Court today (28 February, 2025) to face further charges relating to allegations he engaged in sexual activity online with a child in Indonesia.
Investigations began after US Customs and Border Protection allegedly found child abuse material on the man's mobile phone during an examination of his luggage on 24 January, 2024, after he arrived at Los Angeles Airport on an international flight.
A search of the mobile phone allegedly revealed a conversation with a child from Indonesia, in which the man allegedly instructed the child to engage in sexual poses and activity via video call in exchange for money.
The matter was referred to the AFP's Eastern Command Child Protection Operations after the man, 34, was denied entry to the United States and returned to Sydney.
On 28 January, 2024, the AFP arrested the man, who is also an Australian resident who had been living in Perth, at Sydney Airport as he attempted to board a flight destined for Mexico.
He was charged with two counts of sexual activity with a child outside of Australia, contrary to section 272.9(2) of the Criminal Code (Cth) and denied police bail. The maximum penalty for this offence is 20 years' imprisonment.
The man appeared before Downing Centre Local Court on 27 March, 2024, where the AFP successfully applied to extradite him to Western Australia because he was living in Perth when the online offending allegedly took place.
Following a forensic examination of the mobile phone seized by US authorities, the Western Australia Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team (WA JACET) - comprised of officers from the AFP and WA Police Force - laid further charges of:
One count of grooming a child to engage in sexual activity outside Australia, contrary to section 272.15 of the Criminal Code (Cth). The maximum penalty for this offence is 15 years' imprisonment;
One count of preparing for or planning to have sexual intercourse with a child outside Australia, contrary to section 272.20 of the Criminal Code (Cth). The maximum penalty for this offence is 10 years' imprisonment; and
One count of possess child abuse material, contrary to section 474.22A of the Criminal Code (Cth). The maximum penalty for this offence is 15 years' imprisonment.
AFP Detective Inspector Andrea Coleman said the AFP worked closely with law enforcement partners in the United States and around the world to identify and disrupt those involved in the exploitation and abuse of children.
"The AFP and its international partners share an important common goal, to protect children from anyone attempting to harm them, whether a victim is living in Australia or overseas," Det Insp Coleman said.
"With valued assistance from those partners, these individuals will be identified, located and placed before the court."
The AFP and its partners are committed to stopping child exploitation and abuse and the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) is driving a collaborative national approach to combatting child abuse.
The ACCCE brings together specialist expertise and skills in a central hub, supporting investigations into online child sexual exploitation and developing prevention strategies focused on creating a safer online environment.
Members of the public who have information about people involved in child abuse are urged to contact the ACCCE. If you know abuse is happening right now or a child is at risk, call police immediately on 000.
If you or someone you know is impacted by child sexual abuse and online exploitation, support services are available.
Research conducted by the ACCCE in 2020 revealed only about half of parents talked to their children about online safety. Advice and support for parents and carers about how they can help protect children online can be found at the ThinkUKnow website, an AFP-led education program designed to prevent online child sexual exploitation.
