A Folsom man has pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of a child, according to Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez. William James Fitzgerald, 25, admitted to using a minor he met on Snapchat for sexually explicit photographs and video recordings between October 2020 and May 2022.
Court documents show that Fitzgerald coerced the minor into creating multiple explicit images at least four times by offering and sending Amazon gift cards valued between $20 and $30. Between February 9 and February 20, 2021, he again used Snapchat to contact a minor for similar purposes.
Authorities also found more than 1,000 files depicting the sexual abuse of children on Fitzgerald’s phone and iPad. The material included images involving both adults and children as well as adults abusing toddlers.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Folsom Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Whitnee Goins is prosecuting.
Fitzgerald is scheduled for sentencing before U.S. District Judge Dena Coggins on November 7, 2025. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and could receive up to 30 years, along with supervised release for life, restitution, and a fine up to $250,000. The final sentence will be determined by the court based on statutory factors and federal guidelines.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at fighting child sexual exploitation by coordinating efforts among federal, state, and local agencies to prosecute offenders and help victims. More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at www.usdoj.gov/psc under the “resources” tab for internet-safety education.
“Fitzgerald is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dena Coggins on Nov. 7, 2025. Fitzgerald faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison with a lifetime of supervised release, restitution and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.”
“This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.”
