Man paid dad in cash and cars to perform sex acts with his 14-year-old, feds say
A teenage girl was forced to perform sex acts with a man for three years as her dad received gifts of cash, a car, a motorcycle and vacations in exchange, federal officials said.
Theodore John Sartori Sr., 63, was a friend of the teen’s father, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Missouri. The two agreed in 2013 that the 14-year-old girl would be a housekeeper and perform sex acts for the man, according to court documents.
Sartori, of Franklin County, pleaded guilty to traveling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct on Aug. 7, federal officials said, a reduced charge from his original indictment in 2022.
He was initially charged with two counts, according to the indictment, but one count was dropped in exchange for a guilty plea, prosecutors said.
Sartori’s attorney declined to comment to McClatchy News about the case.
In the winter of 2013, the two men “approached the minor and dictated that the minor would be record-keeping and cleaning for Sartori at Sartori’s home,” according to the plea agreement.
In addition to the work, the two also told the teen that she would have to perform sex acts for the man, according to documents.
The teen’s father, a co-defendant in the case, received cash, a Mustang car, a motorcycle, Christmas gifts and vacations from Sartori in exchange for sex acts with the teen, according to court documents.
The father was also charged in 2022, according to prosecutors, but has been on the run. He is listed on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list.
McClatchy News is not naming the father to protect the identity of the victim.
The plea agreement also alleges that Sartori paid for the family to take a vacation to Destin, Florida, during the summer of 2016, and drove the teen from Missouri to Florida to engage in sex acts with her.
Sartori was ordered to pay more than $25,000 to the victim, prosecutors said. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 6. He faces up to 30 years in prison.
Franklin County is about a 60-mile drive southwest from St. Louis.
This story was originally published August 8, 2024 at 2:15 PM with the headline "Man paid dad in cash and cars to perform sex acts with his 14-year-old, feds say."
