CEDAR CITY — A 65-year-old man who pleaded guilty to enticing a minor via the internet or texting and dealing harmful material to a minor has been sentenced to prison.
Claudio Battaglia was ordered to serve two terms of 0-5 years in the Utah State Prison; both charges were classified as third-degree felonies. Fifth District Judge Matthew L. Bell, who imposed the sentence during an in-person courtroom hearing on Monday, ordered that both counts run concurrently. How much time Battaglia will ultimately serve will be up to Utah Board of Pardons, the judge noted.
Battaglia was arrested the morning of May 24 by Internet Crimes Against Children task force officers who were conducting a sting operation. He had reportedly traveled from Southern California to a designated meeting location in Cedar City, where he was arrested.
According to the probable cause affidavit filed in support of his arrest, Battaglia engaged in sexual conversations via text messages sent to a decoy officer who was posing as a 14-year-old girl. He also sent five photographs of his penis, the affidavit states.
“It was further found that Claudio traveled over state lines to meet, and engage in sexual intercourse with what he understood was a 14-year-old female,” the document adds.
On Aug. 1, Battaglia pleaded guilty to the two third-degree felony counts, upon which four additional felony counts of dealing harmful material to a minor were dismissed as part of a plea agreement.
Battaglia, who has been incarcerated in Iron County Jail since his arrest, was ordered to be transferred to Utah State Prison to begin serving his sentence there.
No additional fines or fees were imposed. The court also recommended that Battaglia receive treatment while in prison.
Iron County Attorney Chad Dotson told Cedar City News afterward that the case highlights the increasing danger children face from online predators.
“While this case does not have a real victim, it represents a real threat and a real concern that parents have with regard to their children being pursued by predators online, Dotson said, adding, “Internet crimes against children are a growing problem. Proactive police work and prosecutions are an important tool to combat the problem.”
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