Man sentenced to 36 years in prison for child exploitation

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — An Oregon man convicted of exploiting children online has been sentenced to nearly 36 years in prison.

According to the Linn County Sheriff’s Office, John DiMolfetto of Gates, Oregon, created dozens of profiles online and texting accounts to manipulate, deceive and exploit children as young as age 7 for nearly a decade, the Corvallis Gazette Times reported.

A jury found the 39-year-old guilty this month on 23 counts involving online sexual exploitation of children. According to Oregon’s online court database, the charges included multiple counts of using a child in a display of sexually explicit conduct, luring a minor and first-degree encouraging child sexual abuse.

Investigators believe DiMolfetto exploited or tried to exploit over 300 children across the U.S. in the six months before his arrest in May 2020.

DiMolfetto has been held in Linn County Jail since his arrest.