A Florida man who repeatedly flew overseas to abuse children and film the assaults has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison, capping a years-long investigation that stretched across multiple countries.
Vincent Anthony Principe, 55, of Arcadia, admitted producing child sexual abuse material involving victims as young as eight. Along with the 30-year prison term, a federal judge ordered that he remain under supervised release for the rest of his life, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Prosecutors said Principe traveled to the Philippines multiple times over several years, sexually abused four minors — including the eight-year-old — and recorded the assaults. He then uploaded the videos to a website dedicated to child exploitation. Investigators ultimately recovered more than 100 images of child sexual abuse material during the probe, according to the Justice Department.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva said Principe “inflicted added layers” of harm by recording and distributing the abuse, while U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe described the conduct as “reprehensible.” Principe pleaded guilty on April 30. Trial Attorney McKenzie Hightower of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Yolande Viacava handled the prosecution.
The Justice Department also credited several agencies at home and abroad for helping bring the case together, underscoring how complex and far-reaching these investigations can be.
USA Kehoe: "The vile actions of this child predator who exploited children while traveling internationally is reprehensible. Working closely with our law enforcement partners, we remain committed to investigating and prosecuting those who prey on children.” #PSCMDFL https://t.co/kzyASfGql1
— USAO Middle Florida (@USAO_MDFL) July 2, 2026
Investigative Partners And Prosecution
The U.S. Secret Service led the investigation, with support from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service, the Queensland Police Service and Europol, according to a post from the U.S. Attorney’s Office on X. Prosecutors said the case falls under Project Safe Childhood, a Justice Department initiative that coordinates federal, state and local efforts to locate and protect victims and prosecute offenders. Attorneys noted that cases like this often require complicated cross-border cooperation and detailed digital forensics work.
Sentence And Next Steps
Officials said the 30-year sentence is meant to account for both the underlying abuse and the added harm from recording and distributing the material. The public announcement did not identify the sentencing judge or provide immediate details about restitution or registration requirements.
Federal prosecutors said they intend to keep pursuing similar cases under Project Safe Childhood. They added that victim-assistance services are available through that initiative and through local victim-witness programs for those impacted by child exploitation offenses.
