Mexican National Admits Child Sex Charges

ST. LOUIS - A Mexican national on Monday admitted sexually abusing a minor and engaging in explicit communications with her on Instagram.

Giovanni Falcon, 41, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to transfer of obscene material to a minor and coercion and enticement of a minor. He admitted messaging a 15-year-old girl on Instagram between Jan. 1, 2024, and Aug. 12, 2024. In July and August of that year, Falcon sent the victim images of his genitals. Falcon and the victim also engaged in sexual contact on multiple occasions. On Aug. 13, 2024, the victim's father contacted the St. Ann Police Department after discovering the explicit Instagram messages. St. Ann police arrested him the next day, and he admitted sexually abusing the victim.

The U.S. Attorney's office will ask for 216 months in prison at Falcon's sentencing, which has been set for Jan. 27, 2026. Falcon is not in the country legally and will be deported upon his released from prison.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations and the St. Ann Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson is prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.