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United States of America v. Austin Marko Coates
Date: 08-05-2025
Case Number: 4:25-cr-00027
Judge: Robert L. Hinkle
Court: The United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida (Leon County)
Plaintiff's Attorney: The United States Attorney’s Office in Tallahassee
Defendant's Attorney: Click Here For The Best Tallahassee, Florida Criminal Defense Law Lawyer Directory
Description:
Tallahassee Man Sentenced To 20 Years For Child Exploitation Crimes
Austin Marko Coates, 27, of Tallahassee, Florida, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to sexual exploitation of children and distribution of child pornography. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: "One of our greatest responsibilities is the protection of our children, and I am proud of the excellent work by our state and federal law enforcement partners to help bring this disgusting individual to justice. This substantial sentence demonstrates our unwavering commitment to keeping the most vulnerable members of our community safe, and should serve as a warning to others who would attempt to harm them. My office will continue to aggressively prosecute these horrific crimes and will seek maximum punishments for those who engage in such heinous conduct.â€
According to court records, in January 2025 the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Leon County Sheriff's Office received a Cybertip report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children alleging that Coates had been communicating with a minor through a social media platform regarding sexually explicit topics. Agents with HSI obtained federal search warrants for Coates' social media account and Tallahassee residence. The searches resulted in investigators finding evidence of Coates sending child pornography to minors, some who were as young as 13 years of age, and requesting they produce their own sexually explicit content to send to him. Investigators also seized multiple electronic devices which contained hundreds of child pornography videos and images, some depicting young children and toddlers.
"This predator weaponized social media to target, entice, and manipulate vulnerable children to produce sexually explicit material to add to his collection of vile content,†said Homeland Security Investigations Tallahassee Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno. "The hundreds of images and videos in his possession represent countless children, some as young as toddlers, whose pain was preserved and traded like currency. Crimes like these are a brutal reminder of why HSI and our partners fight every day to protect children and bring their offenders to justice.â€
Coates's sentence of imprisonment will be followed by a lifetime term of supervised release and a requirement to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. Coates was also ordered to pay restitution to his victims.
The conviction and sentence were the result of a joint investigation by HSI and the Leon County Sheriff's Office, with assistance from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation's principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney's Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Tallahassee, Florida criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with sexual exploitation of children and distribution of child pornography
Tallahassee Man Sentenced To 20 Years For Child Exploitation Crimes
Austin Marko Coates, 27, of Tallahassee, Florida, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to sexual exploitation of children and distribution of child pornography. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: "One of our greatest responsibilities is the protection of our children, and I am proud of the excellent work by our state and federal law enforcement partners to help bring this disgusting individual to justice. This substantial sentence demonstrates our unwavering commitment to keeping the most vulnerable members of our community safe, and should serve as a warning to others who would attempt to harm them. My office will continue to aggressively prosecute these horrific crimes and will seek maximum punishments for those who engage in such heinous conduct.â€
According to court records, in January 2025 the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Leon County Sheriff's Office received a Cybertip report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children alleging that Coates had been communicating with a minor through a social media platform regarding sexually explicit topics. Agents with HSI obtained federal search warrants for Coates' social media account and Tallahassee residence. The searches resulted in investigators finding evidence of Coates sending child pornography to minors, some who were as young as 13 years of age, and requesting they produce their own sexually explicit content to send to him. Investigators also seized multiple electronic devices which contained hundreds of child pornography videos and images, some depicting young children and toddlers.
"This predator weaponized social media to target, entice, and manipulate vulnerable children to produce sexually explicit material to add to his collection of vile content,†said Homeland Security Investigations Tallahassee Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno. "The hundreds of images and videos in his possession represent countless children, some as young as toddlers, whose pain was preserved and traded like currency. Crimes like these are a brutal reminder of why HSI and our partners fight every day to protect children and bring their offenders to justice.â€
Coates's sentence of imprisonment will be followed by a lifetime term of supervised release and a requirement to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. Coates was also ordered to pay restitution to his victims.
The conviction and sentence were the result of a joint investigation by HSI and the Leon County Sheriff's Office, with assistance from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation's principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney's Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Outcome:
The Defendant was sentenced 20 years in federal prison.
Coates’s sentence of imprisonment will be followed by a lifetime term of supervised release and a requirement to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. Coates was also ordered to pay restitution to his victims
Coates’s sentence of imprisonment will be followed by a lifetime term of supervised release and a requirement to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. Coates was also ordered to pay restitution to his victims
Plaintiff's Experts:
Defendant's Experts:
Comments:
About This Case
What was the outcome of United States of America v. Austin Marko Coates?
The outcome was: The Defendant was sentenced 20 years in federal prison. Coates’s sentence of imprisonment will be followed by a lifetime term of supervised release and a requirement to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. Coates was also ordered to pay restitution to his victims
Which court heard United States of America v. Austin Marko Coates?
This case was heard in The United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida (Leon County), FL. The presiding judge was Robert L. Hinkle.
Who were the attorneys in United States of America v. Austin Marko Coates?
Plaintiff's attorney: The United States Attorney’s Office in Tallahassee. Defendant's attorney: Click Here For The Best Tallahassee, Florida Criminal Defense Law Lawyer Directory.
When was United States of America v. Austin Marko Coates decided?
This case was decided on August 5, 2025.