Brooklyn man sentenced for coercion and enticement of minors

Justice Ann Donnelly speaks at her installation ceremony at the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York in 2016. Brooklyn Eagle photo by Rob Abruzzese

DOWNTOWN — Steven LaBianca received a sentence of 12 years for coercion and enticement of minors and possession of child pornography in Brooklyn federal court on Thursday.

LaBianca communicated with multiple minor victims over the internet, coercing them to send sexually explicit images and videos of themselves. He pleaded guilty to the charges in September 2024.

United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Joseph Nocella Jr. and FBI New York Field Office Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle Jr. announced the sentence, made by United States District Judge Ann M. Donnelly.

“For years, Steven LaBianca prowled online platforms to exploit minor victims by forcing them to engage in sexually explicit conversations and create pornographic material,” Barnacle stated. “Not only did his coercion abuse the innocence of young girls, it also revictimized those whose recordings were shared in other threads for LaBianca’s twisted desires.”

According to court filings, in 2017, LaBianca communicated online with an unnamed 15-year-old girl who resided in Cyprus.

LaBianca induced her to send him photographs and videos of herself nude and engaging in sexual activities, instructing her to watch pornographic videos involving other young girls.

He threatened to leave her for a younger girl once she grew up and advised her to delete incriminating evidence from her devices if she was ever approached by law enforcement.

Over the course of their communications, LaBianca’s victim sent hundreds of photographs and videos of her engaged in sexual activities.

Additionally, from September 2017 through May 2020, LaBianca communicated with multiple young girls, some as young as 13, coercing them to send sexually explicit photographs and videos through social media platforms like Omegle, Skype and Instagram.

This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.

Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to pinpoint, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.

The government’s case is being handled by the Organized Crime and Gangs Section of Nocella’s office. Assistant United States Attorney Andy Palacio is in charge of the prosecution.