United States of America v. Alex Asino

Anchorage, Alaska criminal defense lawyer represented Defendant charged with wo counts of online enticement or coercion in relation involving two victims.



Alex Asino, 34, was indicted in November 2019 on counts involving child sex trafficking, production and distribution of child pornography and coercion and enticement of a minor.



Defendant pleaded guilty to two counts of online enticement or coercion in relation involving two victims. He also admitted to relevant conduct involving sex trafficking of a juvenile and the production of child pornography involving three total juvenile victims in Anchorage.



Asino's conduct came to the attention of the FBI in November 2019. During online communications, Asino told an undercover law enforcement officer he had a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old female that he met through a social media application. During his communications with the undercover officer, Asino sent images of the 15-year-old victim's body and face and then directed the officer to a website where Asino had posted sexually explicit images of the victim. Additionally, Asino provided pornographic photos of a third minor victim to the officer along with how much he had paid her to have sex with him.



Asino preyed on his minor victims through online social media applications, such as but not limited to Snapchat, Tagged and Whisper and would meet minor females through pay dating websites. Asino distributed meth, cash, food, gifts and cab fares to minors in exchange for sexual favors. He also posted images of child pornography and personal videos of sexual acts with minors on pornographic websites.



In September 2018, Asino was charged by the State of Alaska for delivering a controlled substance to a minor, sexual abuse of a minor and possession of child pornography. He was subsequently released on bail and placed under house arrest. While on house arrest, Asino continued to engage in the sexual exploitation of at least two additional minor victims.



"The real tragedy in cases like this one is the incalculable damage experienced by the minor victims,” said U.S. Attorney John E. Kuhn, Jr., District of Alaska. "While nothing can erase that harm, this lengthy sentence ensures that vulnerable girls in our community will be protected from Asino's predations for many years.”



"The defendant's disturbing pattern of committing sexual exploitation crimes against child victims is abhorrent,” said Special Agent in Charge Antony Jung of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. "The FBI is committed to working alongside federal, state, and local partners to identify, and hold accountable, those who abuse and exploit children in Alaska.”



The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Anchorage Police Department (APD) investigated the case as part of the FBI's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.



Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Alexander prosecuted the case.



18:1591(a)(1) and 1594(a) SEX TRAFFICKING OF A MINOR

(1-2)



18:2251(a),(e) SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF A CHILD-PRODUCTION OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

(3-4)



18:2252A(a)(2)(A),(b)(1) SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF A CHILD-DISTRIBUTION OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

(5-6)



18:2422(b) COERCION AND ENTICEMENT OF A MINOR

(7)



18:2422(b) COERCION AND ENTICEMENT OF A MINOR

(8)

Defendant was sentenced to 27.5 years in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release.