Surprise man sentenced to 25 years in prison for luring 15-year-old over Snapchat
Aug 3, 2023, 2:06 PM | Updated: 2:12 pm
(Pexels Photo)
(Pexels Photo)
PHOENIX — A Surprise man has been sentenced to 25 years in prison after luring a 15-year-old girl for sexual activity through the social media app Snapchat, authorities said this week.
Joel Disanto, 47, paid the girl and engaged in sexual conduct with her in Casa Grande in September 2022 after the 15-year-old told Disanto of her age, according to a press release from the Pinal County Attorney’s Office.
Disanto, who went by the name “Daniel Donkey” on the app, was already listed as a sex offender and a sexually violent predator.
The victim’s mother went through her phone in October 2022 and found out she had been sending sexually explicit images to men, including DiSanto.
The victim said she took the money from Disanto because “she needed the money to help her mom pay the rent,” according to the release.
Investigators found sexually explicit material on Disanto’s Snapchat account and use his phone’s geolocation feature to help corroborate the victim’s account of the encounter.
Disanto pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated luring of a minor and one count of child sex trafficking.
He will be under lifetime probation following the completion of his sentence.
