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Former Cop Charged with Child Sex Enticement
A former Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office police officer has been arrested and charged with online enticement of a minor child to engage in criminal sexual activity. Josue Garriga III, 34, of Jacksonville, was taken into custody by the Northeast Florida INTERCEPT Task Force.
According to a criminal complaint, Garriga met the child victim at church around September 2023 and began pursuing a relationship with her via text messaging and WhatsApp. The messages revealed Garriga expressed his sexual interest in the child.
Garriga allegedly visited the victim at a coffee shop on March 6, 2024, and while in his vehicle outside the shop, grabbed the child’s hand and put it down his pants. He then requested the child perform oral sex on him. When the child refused, Garriga asked the child to kiss his genitalia and would not let the child leave until she did so.
A complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. If convicted, Garriga faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison.
The case was investigated by the Northeast Florida INTERCEPT Task Force, which includes Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Jacksonville, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Laura Cofer Taylor and Kelly S. Milliron.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.
Garriga’s arrest is a stark reminder of the trust that can be broken by those in positions of authority. As a former police officer, Garriga was sworn to protect and serve the community, not exploit and harm its most vulnerable members. We hope that justice will be served in this case and that the victim will receive the support and care she needs.
Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes|Public Corruption
- Source: Official Source ↗
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