75-year-old Brevard man sentenced to over 19 years in federal prison for sexually abusing a minor

Evidence shows that the abuse began when the victim was about 13 years old

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza has sentenced Michael Angelo Tollen, 75, of Brevard County, to 19 years and 7 months in a federal prison for sexual abuse of a minor.

In addition, Tollen must register as a sex offender and comply with the provisions of the Sex Offender Registration and Reporting Act upon his release from prison. Tollen pleaded guilty on March 11, 2024.

According to court documents, Tollen, who lived at Patrick Air Force Base at the time of the crime, was arrested in October 2023 after his family discovered that he had sexually abused the victim, who suffered from developmental and cognitive disabilities.

Evidence presented at sentencing showed that Tollen had sexually abused the victim since she was about 13 years old and continued to do so for over a year.

Tollen's sentence was increased because the court ruled that the victim, due to his developmental and cognitive impairments, was unable to appreciate the nature of the conduct committed against him.

The court also ruled that Tollen attempted to obstruct justice by threatening to divorce his wife and strip her of his military benefits if she testified against him.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kara M. Wick is prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of sexual exploitation and abuse of children.

Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood pools federal, state, and local resources to track down, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims.

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