A Winona man has been sentenced to 27 years in prison for an online sextortion scheme that targeted over 60 young girls, as announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. Valentin Silva Quintana, aged 31, was also given a 20-year supervised release following his prison term.
Court documents reveal that between April 2022 and June 2023, Quintana used social media platforms like Snapchat and Instagram to exploit girls mainly aged between nine and twelve from various locations including Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, and New Zealand. He assumed fake identities and often posed as a minor girl to deceive his victims.
Quintana employed different tactics to manipulate the girls, sometimes pretending to be their friend or romantic partner or offering money. More commonly, he coerced them into sending sexual images or videos by threatening to share initial photos with their acquaintances unless they provided more explicit content. This manipulation continued despite pleas from the victims.
On February 5, 2025, Quintana was sentenced in U.S. District Court by Judge Jerry W. Blackwell after pleading guilty to charges of production, distribution, and possession of child pornography.
The investigation involved the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Winona County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael McBride.