Ex-NASCAR Driver Indicted for Child Sex Sting

Richard Hoyt Crawford Jr., a 59-year-old former NASCAR driver from Port Orange, Florida, has been indicted on federal charges for attempting to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity. The indictment, returned by a grand jury in Orlando, triggers a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years in prison if convicted, with a maximum penalty of life behind bars.

Court documents reveal Crawford engaged in a series of email and text message exchanges between February 10 and February 28, 2018, with an undercover FBI agent posing as the father of a 12-year-old girl. During the communications, Crawford requested a photo of the supposed child and negotiated to pay between $50 and $75 for sex. He specifically instructed the ‘father’ to have the girl nude in the back of his car and ready for sexual activity upon his arrival.

On February 28, 2018, Crawford traveled from Port Orange to Seminole County, fully intending to carry out the illegal act. Instead of meeting a child, he was met by federal agents who arrested him on the spot. Evidence seized includes an iPhone allegedly used to facilitate the crime, which the government has formally notified will be subject to forfeiture.

The indictment charges Crawford with one count of attempted enticement of a minor, a felony under federal law. Prosecutors emphasize that the charge is not a conviction—Crawford is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. Still, the case paints a damning portrait of a man who allegedly used digital communication to pursue illegal sexual contact with a child.

The FBI led the investigation, penetrating Crawford’s digital trail to expose his intentions. Assistant United States Attorney Ilianys Rivera Miranda will prosecute the case, ensuring it moves swiftly through the federal system. Authorities stress that no actual minor was ever at risk—the operation was entirely conducted by trained law enforcement personnel.

This case was prosecuted under Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative launched in 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation. The program leverages federal, state, and local partnerships to identify predators, execute arrests, and rescue victims. For more information, visit www.justice.gov/psc.