Michigan Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Traveling to Destin to Have Sex with a Minor

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Ronald Roscoe, 56, of Traverse City, Michigan, pleaded guilty yesterday to attempted enticement of a minor, travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, and transporting material involving sexual exploitation of minors.  The guilty plea was announced by Lawrence Keefe, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

In September 2018, an undercover investigator began chatting online to identify individuals interested in exploiting children.  An individual, later identified as Roscoe, sent a private message via the social media platform KIK to the investigator, who was posing as a 12-year-old girl.  Over the next month, Roscoe discussed sexual activity with the investigator posing as the girl and the possibility of meeting her in person.

During the week of October 15, 2018, Roscoe informed the investigator posing as the girl that he had purchased a plane ticket to fly from Michigan to Florida to engage in sexual contact with her over the weekend.  Law enforcement located a hotel in Destin where Roscoe had reserved a room.  Roscoe was arrested at the airport, and his cellular telephone contained child pornography, including children under age 12.

Roscoe faces the following potential penalties:

• Attempted enticement of a minor: a minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life;
• Travel to engage in sex with a minor: due to a prior sex offense conviction, a maximum of 60 years in prison; and
• Transporting material involving sexual exploitation of minors: due to a prior sex offense conviction, a minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum of 40 years in prison.

Because Roscoe is a registered sex offender, he will receive a mandatory 10 years consecutive to imprisonment imposed for the attempted enticement and sex traveling charges.

The sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 6, 2019, at 10:00 a.m. at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola.

The case was investigated by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, and the North Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.  The case was prosecuted by First Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey M. Tharp.

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 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 http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.