Who is Michael Dolce? Palm beach child abuse attorney arrested for possession of child p*rnography

Palm Beach Gardens attorney Michael Dolce was arrested for allegedly owning child p*rnography. On March 15, FBI agents discovered Dolce’s laptop which had almost 2,000 images of child p*rnography, after they forcefully entered his residence in West Palm Beach. According to prosecutors, Michael Dolce used a BitTorrent network to download p*rnographic materials.

Trigger warning: The article contains references to child p*rnography and s*xual abuse. Readers’ discretion is advised

A federal criminal complaint stated that there were several videos and images of girls as young as 5 years old, on Dolce’s devices. His phone had an unsettling background image as well.

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Michael Dolce is a former partner at a Palm Beach Gardens law firm and represented victims of s*x crimes

It was discovered that Michael Dolce was working as a partner at Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll, a law firm in Palm Beach Gardens. Ironically, Dolce was handling cases related to s*x trafficking, domestic abuse, and other s*x crimes, including both adult and minor victims.

According to Dolce’s LinkedIn profile:

“He (Dolce) has achieved multiple multi-million-dollar trial verdicts for his clients, as well as numerous settlements for survivors of s*xual crimes, including child and adult victims, and adult survivors of child s*xual abuse.”

It further stated:

“Michael also played a pivotal role in helping to pass Florida’s 2010 legislation that repealed all statutes of limitations for civil and criminal prosecution of child s*xual abuse.”

Dolce was also related to a non-profit legal-aid organization named Florida’s Children First which dealt with children in “at-risk” conditions. The 53-year-old was reportedly on the advisory board of the organization. According to the website entry, the 53-year-old attorney was the founder of a political committee known as Protect Our Kids First, Inc. He was also a part of the governing board of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in West Palm Beach.

A spokesperson for the law firm where he was employed stated that he is no longer a part of the company. As per an entry on his former law firm's website, Dolce was a victim of s*xual abuse at the "hands of a sadistic predator" when he was young.

The website stated:

“Dolce brings to his work the insight and commitment of a survivor, having himself been the victim of s*xual abuse as a young boy at the hands of a sadistic predator.”

When asked to address the current incident, the law firm named Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll stated that it was “stunned and saddened” after being made aware of the allegations and charges against Michael Dolce. A spokesperson for the firm further added:

“The firm is stunned and saddened by these appalling allegations. Michael Dolce was terminated and is no longer affiliated with the firm. We are focused on attending to the needs of our clients and staff, and continuing to cooperate fully with the investigation.”

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1,997 illicit videos and photos were found on Dolce's devices

Dolce used to represent victims primarily in s*xual abuse cases. (Image via Laura Loomer/Twitter)

Authorities made a disturbing discovery when they forcefully entered the Palm Beach Gardens residence of Michael Dolce, 53. The arrest took place on March 15, when Dolce was found actively downloading child p*rnography on his laptop. FBI agents found thousands of items on Dolce’s laptop that fell under the category of child p*rnography.

The complaint against him stated:

“Tactical surveillance and entry teams revealed that Dolce was alone in the residence, awake on a bed at the time FBI personnel first knocked and announced at his door. Located directly adjacent to Dolce on the bed was a Samsung laptop (SAMSUNG).”

FBI agents further claimed that they discovered one sub-folder that was named “sweetie” and it contained another sub-folder with the title “Sweet-Pedo Stars.” Investigators mentioned that as of March 24, authorities had discovered around 1,997 illicit videos and photos on his devices.

The case is currently under investigation. Dolce's initial court appearance was scheduled for March 31, 2023. Law enforcement agencies, including the FBI Miami and West Palm Beach Resident Agency, are leading the investigation.