United States v. Alessandro Moncini, Aka: Sandro Moncini

Alessandro Moncini, a citizen and resident of Italy, appeals his conviction under 18 U.S.C. § 2252 (a) for mailing child pornography from Italy to an undercover officer in the United States. He raises three issues on appeal: (1) whether the district court lacked jurisdiction over him; (2) whether the government should have been required to prove that he knew he was violating American law, or, in the alternative, whether the district court should have recognized ignorance of the law as an affirmative defense; and (3) whether the district court erred in finding that he was not entrapped. We affirm.

FACTS

Moncini was contacted by Detective William H. Dworin of the Los Angeles Police Department after Dworin discovered Mon-cini’s name and address in a search of an American pornography collector. Dworin sent Moncini a letter containing a photograph of a nude girl, inquiring whether Moncini would be interested in trading child pornography. Dworin led Moncini to believe the American pornography collector was a mutual acquaintance.

Moncini wrote back and asked for more pictures. Dworin complied, but Moncini did not reciprocate by sending similar pictures in return. Dworin eventually…