A Brooksville mother, Jenna Ann Hoffman, has been found guilty of multiple child-sex crimes after investigators say she recorded the sexual abuse of her toddler and shared the videos online. Jurors on Wednesday returned guilty verdicts on charges that include lewd and lascivious molestation and promoting a sexual performance by a child.
According to Tampa Bay 28, Hoffman was convicted on four counts: lewd and lascivious molestation, promote sexual performance of a child, possession of a sexual performance of a child with intent to promote, and unlawful use of a two-way communication device. Prosecutors say she now faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 25 years to life in the Florida Department of Corrections. Sentencing is scheduled for July 13.
Investigation and arrest
The case started after the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office sent a child-pornography tip to Hernando County on Sept. 23, 2024. The tip included videos that officials say showed a woman performing sex acts with a toddler, according to a press release from the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office.
Detectives went to a residence on Snow Memorial Highway in Brooksville, showed an image from the material to a family member who identified the child, and say Hoffman later admitted the acts to investigators. Officials report that she told detectives she had been communicating with a stranger online who offered to pay for the videos but never followed through.
Charges and next steps
The convictions cover production, promotion and possession offenses that carry steep prison time in Florida, Tampa Bay 28 notes. Hoffman is set to return to court for sentencing on July 13, and prosecutors could seek additional penalties after a presentencing review. Public reporting did not include any statement from the defense.
Local context
The guilty verdict lands in the middle of a broader wave of child-sex prosecutions in Hernando County this year. In February, a separate Brooksville conviction in February drew attention to how often local investigators now rely on digital tips to track down alleged offenders.
Authorities say the child in Hoffman’s case was rescued and the suspect arrested within hours of the initial tip. Sentencing is set for July 13, and the sheriff’s office press release asks anyone with additional information to contact Hernando County Crime Stoppers at 1-866-990-TIPS.
