Brazilian Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Attempting to Have Sex with a 12-Year-Old in an FBI Sting; Faces Deportation After Sentence
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of New York announced that Bryan Silva, a Brazilian citizen, was sentenced on November 5, 2026, in federal court in Albany, in Albany County, New York, to 10 years in prison for attempting to persuade or entice a minor to engage in prostitution. U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Brindisi imposed the sentence. First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
Silva, 34, was a Brazilian citizen illegally present in the United States. On April 29, 2025, he responded to a sting advertisement the FBI had placed on a website advertising a young female for sex. He was told repeatedly that the female was 12 years old.
Despite that, Silva went to meet the girl and paid $100 for a "quick visit." After handing over the money, he was arrested.
Silva pleaded guilty on July 28, 2026, to attempting to persuade or entice a minor to engage in prostitution. In addition to the 10-year prison term, he was sentenced to five years of supervised release following his release from prison. After serving his sentence, he will be subject to deportation.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarcone said: "This defendant attempted to prey upon our most vulnerable population and was present in the country illegally. We are thankful that the defendant was caught in a sting and that no minors were placed at risk. After he has served his sentence, he will be removed from the country and unable to return." FBI Albany Special Agent in Charge Craig Tremaroli said Silva will spend the next decade in federal prison because of his decision to arrange to have sex with a 12-year-old child, and that the FBI's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force will continue to prioritize identifying and investigating such offenders.
The FBI investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Walter prosecuted it. The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, the Department of Justice's nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. (Source: U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of New York)
Source: U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of New York
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：位于华盛顿的联邦调查局总部胡佛大楼（GSM固定图库）。ajay_suresh 摄，CC BY 2.0。 / Photo: FBI headquarters, the J. Edgar Hoover Building in Washington, D.C. (GSM file photo). By ajay_suresh, CC BY 2.0.
