MADISON COUNTY SEX OFFENDER INDICTED FOR FAILURE TO REGISTER

GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – Tavaris Andre Donaldson, 30, of Madison, Florida, was indicted by a federal grand jury for failing to register as a sex offender. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charge today.

Donaldson appeared for his arraignment in federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick in Tallahassee, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­February 23, 2026, before District Judge Mark E. Walker.

If convicted, Donaldson faces up to ten years’ imprisonment.

The case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service and the Madison County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better 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 United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.