HARRISBURG — Attorney General Josh Shapiro today announced the filing of criminal charges against a New Jersey man who is accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl he met in an online chat room.
The charges against Anthony C. Luciani, 46, of Summit, N.J. are the result of an investigation conducted by the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General’s Child Predator Section.
Agents in the Child Predator Section uncovered information that in 2010, Luciani made contact online with a 14-year-old girl. He is accused of sexually assaulting the girl at her home in Berks County, PA while her parents were away.
“Our investigation of this case is active and ongoing,” Attorney General Shapiro said. “We are doing everything we can to gather additional information and find every one of Mr. Luciani’s victims. We encourage anyone with information to contact us immediately by calling our hotline at 1-800-385-1044. Every child’s safety matters to us.”
Luciani was arrested last month by the Child Predator Section following allegations that he sent sexually explicit images and messages to a person he believed to be an underage girl. That person was actually a Child Predator Section agent, working undercover online.
As the investigation continued, agents learned of Luciani’s preference for young girls, ages 12 to 15. Agents then made contact with one of Luciani’s victims, who confirmed that Luciani had sex with her when she was just 14 years old.
The charges filed against Luciani, are two counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child and one count each of unlawful contact with a minor, statutory sexual assault, criminal use of a communication facility and corruption of a minor.
Luciani is being held in the Montgomery County Prison. His bail related to the sexual offense charges filed last month was set at $500,000. His bail on the new charges filed today is also $500,000. The Winnebago County Sheriff’s Department, of Oshkosh, Wisc., assisted with this investigation. “When law enforcement agencies work together, we can get more of these predators off our streets,” Attorney General Shapiro said. “We’re grateful to the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Department for its help in this case.”
This case is being prosecuted by Chief Deputy Attorney General Michele Walsh of the Office of Attorney General’s Child Predator Section.
Reporting Child Predators
Suspected child predators can be reported to the Office of Attorney General by calling the Child Predator Hotline at 1-800-385-1044. Individuals who suspect an online predator or child sexual abuse can also send an anonymous tip to the office by texting PAKIDS + YOUR TIP to 847411.
