New York Man Faces Sentencing After Traveling to Florida for Sex With Minor

When a natural disaster such as a hurricane strikes, it’s best to just stay home. However, one man braved a hurricane to meet with a minor with the intent to have sex. He traveled from New York to Florida to meet up with a young girl.

Not even a hurricane could keep the Brooklyn man home, but he probably wishes he didn’t go to Florida, given how tough the state can be with sex offenses. The man was recently sentenced to 40 years in prison.

The 34-year-old man was sentenced to 480 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to traveling to meet a minor, sexual exploitation of children, enticement of a minor, possession of child pornography, and transportation of child pornography.

The incident happened last year during Hurricane Idalia. When the Category 4 hurricane made landfall near Perry, law enforcement officials were out enforcing the storm-related curfew. That was when they came across a young girl who had been sexually exploited by the man.

Law enforcement officials found the man at a local motel and arrested him. A search of his iPhone revealed child porn featuring the young girl as well as at least 20 other children. The man had been sexually exploiting the children since 2019.

The man was taken to Taylor County Jail in Florida. While he was held there, he made phone calls to friends and family members. He had told one friend to dispose of hard drives and other storage devices in his Brooklyn apartment.

Law enforcement officials were made aware of these phone calls. This led them to obtain a search warrant for the man’s apartment. There they found electronic storage devices containing more child pornography. Some of the images were of infants and toddlers in sexually explicit poses.

Once the man serves his prison sentence, he will have to undergo a lifetime of supervised release. He will also have to register as a sex offender and will be subject to all sex offender conditions. The court also ordered the man to forfeit the various electronic devices that he used to commit the offenses.

The Perry Police Department, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and Homeland Security all investigated the man’s case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative that combats child sexual exploitation and abuse via the use of federal, state, and local resources.

Contact a Legal Professional for Help

Adults should not be trying to have sex with underage children. Traveling to meet a minor is a serious crime that can result in decades in prison, as seen in this case.

Sex crimes involving minors are taken seriously. If you have been accused of such a crime, seek legal help from a Florida minor sex offense lawyer from the Law Offices of Gilbert A. Schaffnit. We will work hard to get you the defense you need. Schedule a consultation today by filling out the online form or calling (352) 505-1799.

Source:

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