ROANOKE, VA – A Roanoke man, who used an online chat website to engage in sexually explicit conversations with a 12-year-old child and later induced the victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct over video chat, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court here to 150 months in federal prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, Acting United States Attorney Daniel P. Bubar announced.
Roger Allen Bellini, 31, pleaded guilty in 2020 to one count of coercion and enticement of a minor and one count of possession of child pornography.
“As this case demonstrates, online predators are all too real and willing to prey upon our children using computers,” Acting U.S. Attorney Bubar stated today. “We hope that today’s sentence continues the healing process for the victim in this case and reinforces the need for continued vigilance as we spend increasing portions of our lives online.”
According to court documents, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Homeland Security Investigations (HIS) learned that Bellini used an online messaging service to send and receive child pornography. Forensic review of his devices showed that Bellini possessed dozens of videos and hundreds of images of child pornography. HSI agents interviewed Bellini, who admitted to possessing child pornography. Bellini also admitted to using a video chat website to engage in sexually explicit communications with children. Specifically, Bellini admitted to communicating with a 12-year old child and used screen capture software to record his computer screen while he engaged in video chats with the minor. In these video chats, Bellini exposed his genitals and induced the minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct.
The investigation of the case was conducted by Department of Homeland Security- Homeland Security Investigations. Department of Justice Trial Attorney Leslie Fisher, Trial Attorney Eduardo Palomo, and Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Swartz prosecuted the case for the United States.