Brevard Man Sentenced To More Than 19 Years For Sexual Abuse Of A Minor

Orlando, Florida - U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza has sentenced Michael Angelo Tollen (75, Brevard County) to 19 years and 7 months in federal prison for sexual abuse of a minor. In addition, Tollen will be required to register as a sex offender and comply with the provisions of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act upon his release from prison. Tollen entered a guilty plea on March 11, 2024.

According to court documents, Tollen, who resided on Patrick Air Force Base at the time of the offense, was arrested in October 2023 after his family discovered he had been sexually abusing the victim who suffered from developmental and cognitive impairment. Evidence presented at sentencing showed that Tollen had been sexually abusing the victim starting when the victim was about 13 years old and continuing for over a year. Tollen's sentence was enhanced because the Court ruled that, due to the victim's development and cognitive impairments, the victim was incapable of appraising the nature of the conduct against the victim. The Court also ruled that Tollen had attempted to obstruct justice by threatening to divorce his wife and cut off her access to his military benefits if she testified against him.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Air Force Office of Special Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kara M. Wick.

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 United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.