Marietta man sentenced to 15 years for child enticing, computer sexual exploitation

COBB COUNTY, Ga. - A man has been sentenced to 15 years for attempting to entice a child he thought was 14-years-old.

Joseph Gambino was sentenced on Thursday, June 9 to five years in custody followed by 10 years on probation by Cobb County Superior Court Judge Angela Z. Brown.

Marietta Police Department officials conducted a sting operation in April 2018 where they say Gambino was caught trying to entice someone he believed to be 14-years old for sexual purposes. They said he contacted this person through a dating app, Tinder, sending graphic nude photos and engaging in sexual conversations.

"This defendant purposely sent explicit pictures and made plans to have a sexual encounter with someone he believed to be 14 years old.," Senior Assistant District Attorney Raynor said.

Officials said they arrested Gambino as he was trying to persuade the minor he believed to be 14-years-old to come to his car for business after attempting a meet up at a Dave & Busters on D and B Drive in Marietta.

During the trial, testimony of the detectives, text messages, text messages, photographs and other evidence provided by Senior Assistant District Attorney Lindsay Raynor.

The jury found Gambino guilty on Friday, May 27, of attempted enticing a child and computer sexual exploitation.