Federal prosecutors say a 25-year-old Jacksonville man is facing a federal indictment after he allegedly tried to lure a 13-year-old into sexual activity, only to walk into an FBI sting when he showed up at what he believed was the child’s home. The case, born out of an undercover online operation, will be prosecuted in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida and carries potentially severe penalties under federal law.
Undercover Agent Chats With “Jay”
According to prosecutors, the investigation unfolded between Feb. 17 and last Friday, when an FBI agent posing as a 13-year-old used a social-media app to spot adults seeking contact with minors. The agent began exchanging messages with a user going by “Jay,” who authorities say was later identified as Adeis Jonathan Francis. In those chats, the indictment alleges, Francis asked whether the child could “sneak out,” requested explicit photos, and pushed to meet in person. The operation was handled by agents from the FBI’s Jacksonville and Pensacola field offices and played out over several weeks before charges were filed, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Middle District of Florida.
Chats Turn Explicit, Then Comes The Arrest
On Thursday, investigators say the tone of the conversations escalated. The indictment states that Francis asked if the child was a “virgin” and texted, “I can show you how to have sex ...,” going on to describe sexual acts he allegedly intended to perform. Prosecutors say that after additional planning, Francis boarded a bus on Friday and traveled to the address he believed belonged to the 13-year-old. Agents arrested him shortly after he arrived, according to the same filing. An indictment is a formal charge, and Francis is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty in court, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Middle District of Florida noted.
Federal Law Brings Heavy Potential Time
Using the internet or any other means of interstate commerce to entice a minor into unlawful sexual activity is a federal felony. Under Title 18, U.S. Code § 2422(b), a conviction carries a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life. Prosecutors say this indictment is part of the Justice Department’s wider push to disrupt online predators, a sustained effort coordinated between the FBI and U.S. attorneys’ offices across the country.
What Comes Next In Court
Francis has been formally indicted in federal court and will face prosecution in the Middle District of Florida unless he reaches a plea agreement with the government. If a jury convicts him or he pleads guilty, he faces the mandatory prison term required by statute and likely a period of supervised release afterward. Authorities are asking anyone with additional information related to the case to contact the FBI.
