Florida Little League coach arrested for sex crimes with minor, officials say

OCALA, Fla. - A Florida Little League coach has been arrested after attempting to meet a 13-year-old to engage in sexual activity, officials say.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said 48-year-old Joseph Rocco Quaranta has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime term of supervised release.

Undercover investigation leads to arrest

The backstory:

According to court documents, on July 25, 2024, an undercover detective with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office posed online as a 13-year-old girl. 

Officials said Quaranta contacted the detective’s account and, after learning the child’s age, engaged in a sexually explicit conversation. 

Quaranta then arranged to meet the child at a predetermined location in Marion County to engage in sexual activity, authorities said.

When Quaranta arrived at the meeting location, he was arrested. 

Joseph Rocco Quaranta, 48, has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison. (Credit: Marion County Sheriff's Office)

After his arrest, Quaranta admitted to deputies he had been volunteering as a local Little League baseball coach.

 Quaranta pleaded guilty to trying to lure a child for sex on Nov. 19, 2024.

‘Protect our children’

What they're saying:

The case was investigated by ICE Homeland Security Investigations Orlando, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, the Ocala Police Department and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.

"The sentencing of this former Little League baseball coach serves as a reminder that predatory action against children will not be tolerated, and we will use every resource at our disposal to ensure that justice is served," said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Orlando Assistant Special Agent in Charge David Pezzutti. "HSI, alongside our partners at the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, the Ocala Police Department and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, is unwavering in its commitment to protect our children from predators who seek to exploit them."

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