Providence Man Sentenced to 10 Years on Child Pornography Charges

PROVIDENCE (WBSM) — A Providence man was sentenced to 10 years in state prison for coercing minor children into sexually explicit conduct while recording them.

Akinola Akinlapa, 23, pleaded guilty on June 15, 2022, to charges of enticement of a minor to engage in illicit sexual activity and possession of child pornography.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Akinlapa engaged in online communications with approximately 75 minor females, some of whom had not yet reached puberty, coercing 15 of them to disrobe and perform sexual acts while he watched and recorded.

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Court documents say Akinlapa engaged a 10-year-old victim from Utah in online communications and text messages and provided her with a video conferencing link.

Once connected, Akinlapa threatened to share the victim's information on the internet if she did not disrobe and perform a sex act. The young girl eventually reported the incident to her mother, who contacted the West Valley City, Utah Police Department.

West Valley City Police and FBI agents in Salt Lake City and Providence identified an IP address at Akinlapa's Providence residence as being the source of communications with the 10-year-old victim.

On June 2, 2020, authorities conducted a search on Akinlapa's phone and computer. Images and videos of minors engaging in illicit sexual activity that he recorded were found on his phone.

Evidence also revealed that Akinlapa had victimized 14 other young girls and had attempted to do the same with approximately 60 other minor girls but was unsuccessful.

Akinlapa was sentenced on January 11, 2024 to 120 months of incarceration followed by eight years of federal supervised release.