New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Coercing Minor in D.C. Court

Joseph Gallina, 34, of New Orleans, Louisiana, pleaded guilty on April 30, 2026, in U.S. District Court to one count of coercing and enticing a minor, per the U.S. Department of Justice press release.

The case involves a single defendant and one identified minor victim, with the offense occurring in the District of Columbia jurisdiction. Per the press release, Gallina's actions targeted the minor for coercion and enticement, though specific details on the number of interactions or additional affected parties remain undisclosed in the provided bundle.

Standard federal statutes on such offenses typically protect minors under 18, implying the victim falls within that age group based on the charge cited.

Prior to the plea, Gallina faced charges under federal law for coercing and enticing a minor, which carried the potential for trial and acquittal or conviction. The guilty plea shifts his status to convicted, eliminating the trial phase and moving the case directly to sentencing.

This change takes effect immediately upon entry of the plea, with sentencing to be scheduled by the court at a later date not specified in the release.

The plea triggers mandatory sentencing guidelines under federal law, requiring the court to impose penalties that could include up to life imprisonment and fines up to $250,000, per the statutory maximums for such offenses. It also activates post-conviction requirements such as registration as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, which mandates ongoing reporting to authorities.

Prosecutors must now prepare a presentence report for the judge, while the defense can submit mitigation arguments before the sentencing hearing.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia handled the prosecution, following an investigation likely initiated by federal agents, though the release does not detail the probe's origins. This marks one of several child exploitation cases pursued by the Department of Justice in recent years, with the agency reporting over 300 such guilty pleas nationwide in fiscal year 2025 alone, per publicly available DOJ statistics.