Press Release
PENSACOLA NAVY MAN SENTENCED FOR ENTICING A CHILD TO ENGAGE IN SEXUAL ACTIVITY
August 27, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
R. Alexander Acosta, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Anthony V. Mangione, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Ken Mascara, Sheriff, St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office, announced today that defendant Frank Joffrion, of Pensacola, FL, was sentenced on August 26, 2008 by United States District Court Judge Jose E. Martinez to 210 months’ imprisonment, followed by a lifetime of supervised release.
On March 13, 2008, a Ft. Pierce Grand Jury returned an Indictment charging Joffrion with persuading, inducing, enticing and coercing a person under 18 years of age to engage in sexual activity, and attempting to do so, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2422(b).
Joffrion, a Petty Officer First Class in the United States Navy, entered an America Online chat room and began to correspond with an undercover police officer posing as the father of an eleven year old handicapped girl. During internet communications, Joffrion repeatedly expressed his desire to engage in sexual activity with the child. Joffrion made plans to meet the father and his fictitious eleven year old daughter in Port St. Lucie, Florida for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity with the child. A forensic examination of Joffrion’s computer revealed that Joffrion attempted to solicit other individuals online for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity with their children.
Mr. Acosta commended the investigative efforts of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rinku Talwar.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
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