Florida Man Convicted for Attempted Online Enticement of a Minor

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Following a trial in federal court in Tallahassee, a jury found Jose Galdamez, 42, of Tallahassee, Florida, guilty of using the Internet in an attempt to persuade, induce, and entice a minor to engage in sexual activity.

Evidence presented during trial proved that, on April 14, 2013, Galdamez responded to an advertisement entitled “Bored and Home Alone Looking For Some Fun - w4w – (ASK),” which had been posted under the “Casual Encounters” link on Craigslist.  Over the next 24 hours, Galdamez engaged in email chats, phone calls, and text messages of a sexual nature with a person he believed to be a 14-year-old girl named Crystal.  Subsequently, Galdamez drove to the location where he had arranged to meet Crystal.  Once Galdamez arrived at the location, officers arrested him for attempted online enticement of a child. 

As a result of the guilty verdict, Galdamez faces a sentence of ten years to life in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, not less than five years and up to a life term of supervised release, and a $100 special monetary assessment.

In announcing the verdict, Pamela C. Marsh, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, credited the success of this prosecution to the joint efforts of the agencies participating in the North Florida ICAC, particularly U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Marshals Service, Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Leon County Sheriff’s Office, and the Tallahassee Police Department. 

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Herbert Lindsey.