Tampa Republic

Joseph Rocco Quaranta, a 48-year-old resident of Dunnellon, Florida, has pleaded guilty to attempting to entice a minor into sexual activity. The United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announced that Quaranta faces a potential federal prison sentence ranging from a minimum of 10 years to life. The sentencing date is yet to be determined.

Court documents reveal that on July 25, 2024, an undercover detective from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office impersonated a 13-year-old girl online. Quaranta initiated contact with the detective's account and continued communicating even after learning the supposed child's age. He engaged in sexually explicit conversations and arranged to meet at a location in Marion County for sexual activity. Upon his arrival at the designated meeting place, law enforcement arrested him. Post-arrest, Quaranta admitted to deputies that he volunteered as a local Little League baseball coach.

The investigation involved multiple agencies: the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, Ocala Police Department, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Chiefland Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative by the Department of Justice launched in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse. The program brings together resources from federal, state, and local levels to prosecute offenders and rescue victims. More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at www.justice.gov/psc.