August 27, 2008

Two child sex predators sentenced between 17 1/2 and 30 years in prison

FT. MYERS, Fla. - A 41-year-old Pensacola Navy man and a 47-year-old registered sex offender were both sentenced yesterday in two separate cases to a term of 17 ½ years and 30 years in prison for enticing a child to engage in sexual activity following a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office investigation.

Frank Joffrion, a Petty Officer First Class in the United States Navy, of Pensacola, FL, was sentenced on Aug. 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, entered an America Online chat room and began to correspond with an undercover police officer posing as the father of an 11-year-old mentally challenged 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 11-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.

"We are committed to identifying, locating, and ultimately arresting these child predators that are a threat to our communities," said Anthony Mangione, special agent in charge of the ICE Office of Investigations. "ICE will continue to join law enforcement agencies around the world to fight child exploitation crimes over the Internet."

Timothy Carver, of Vero Beach, FL, was also sentenced on Aug. 26 by U.S. District Court Judge Jose E. Martinez to 360 months imprisonment, followed by a lifetime of supervised release.

On Feb. 14, 2008, a Ft. Pierce Grand Jury returned a two count Superseding Indictment charging Carver with persuading, inducing, enticing and coercing a person under 18 years of age to engage in sexual activity, and attempting to do so and doing so while being required to register as a sexual offender, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2260A.

The investigation revealed that Carver also entered an America Online chat room and began to correspond with an undercover police officer posing as the father of an 11-year-old mentally challenged girl. During Internet communications, Carver repeatedly expressed his desire to engage in sexual activity with the purported child. Carver made plans to meet the father and his fictitious 11-year-old daughter for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity with the child. Carver arrived at the meeting carrying condoms and a teddy bear for the child. Carver committed this crime while being required to register as a sexual offender as a result of his prior conviction for lewd and lascivious assault upon a 10-year-old child.

Both cases were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rinku Talwar.

-- ICE --

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was established in March 2003 as the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security. ICE is comprised of five integrated divisions that form a 21st century law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities.

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