A Pinellas County man with a prior conviction for child sexual offenses is facing new allegations in federal court. Joshua Andrew Finley, 46, of St. Petersburg, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Jacksonville for purportedly trying to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity and for distributing videos of minor sexual abuse on the internet, according to a statement from United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg.
Finley's legal challenges are mounting with this latest superseding indictment. If convicted, Finley could face a mandatory minimum of 15 years, possibly up to life, plus 80 years' imprisonment, and a potential lifetime of supervised release. Currently detained, Finley looks ahead to his trial, set for May 5, 2025. The charges at hand are only allegations, every defendant, including Finley, is presumed innocent until, and if, proven guilty in a court of law.
His criminal history includes a 2009 federal conviction in Wisconsin for interstate travel with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor. More recently, he was convicted in 2023 by the Florida state court for possession of child sexual abuse materials. These past convictions underline the seriousness of the current charges brought against him.
Several agencies collaborated to bring this case to light, with investigation efforts led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the St. Petersburg Police Department, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being managed by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown. The indictment is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative started by the Department of Justice in 2006 which aims to combat child exploitation and abuse.
Project Safe Childhood works to unify federal, state, and local efforts to find and prosecute those who sexually exploit children and to help and protect victims. For those seeking more information about this initiative or internet safety education, resources are available online at the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood website.
