El Paso Standard

A little league baseball coach from Florida has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for attempting to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity. Joseph Rocco Quaranta, 48, of Dunnellon, entered a guilty plea on November 19, 2024.

"The sentencing of this former little league baseball coach serves as a reminder that predatory action against children will not be tolerated, and we will use every resource at our disposal to ensure that justice is served," stated David Pezzutti, Assistant Special Agent in Charge at ICE Homeland Security Investigations Orlando. He emphasized the organization's commitment, along with partners at the Marion County Sheriff's Office, the Ocala Police Department, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, to protect children from exploitation.

Court documents reveal that an undercover detective from the Marion County Sheriff's Office, posing as a 13-year-old girl online, was contacted by Quaranta on July 25, 2024. Despite knowing the age of the supposed victim, Quaranta engaged in a sexually explicit conversation and arranged to meet at a specified location in Marion County. Upon arrival, Quaranta was arrested and subsequently admitted to his role as a local little league coach.

The investigation was conducted by ICE Homeland Security Investigations Orlando, in collaboration with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, the Ocala Police Department, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.