A Folsom man has pleaded guilty to the sexual exploitation of a child in a disturbing case involving online coercion and possession of child sexual abuse materials, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California.
William James Fitzgerald, 25, of Folsom, entered a guilty plea to one count of sexual exploitation of a child, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced. Court documents reveal that between October 15, 2020, and May 4, 2022, Fitzgerald used the Snapchat social media platform to contact a minor and persuaded her to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of creating photographs and video recordings.
Federal prosecutors stated that Fitzgerald coerced the minor on at least four occasions by offering and later sending Amazon gift cards ranging in value from $20 to $30. In a separate incident between February 9 and February 20, 2021, he again used Snapchat to engage another minor in sexually explicit conduct for the same purpose.
In addition to the exploitation charges, Fitzgerald was found to be in possession of more than 1,000 files depicting the sexual abuse of children on his phone and iPad. The files reportedly included graphic images of children engaged in sexual activity with adults, other children, and adults abusing toddlers.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Folsom Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Whitnee Goins is prosecuting the case.
Fitzgerald is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dena Coggins on November 7, 2025. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in federal prison, along with a lifetime of supervised release, restitution, and a $250,000 fine. The final sentence will be determined at the discretion of the court, in accordance with applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative launched in 2006 to combat the growing threat of child sexual exploitation. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices nationwide in partnership with federal, state, and local law enforcement, the initiative focuses on locating, apprehending, and prosecuting those who exploit children, as well as identifying and rescuing victims.
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