Jose Galdamez, Online Enticement of a Minor, Florida 2013

A 42-year-old man from Tallahassee, Florida, has been found guilty of attempting to persuade, induce, and entice a minor to engage in sexual activity over the internet.

Jose Galdamez, of Tallahassee, was convicted by a federal jury on April 14, 2013 for using the internet to attempt to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity.

The evidence presented during the trial showed that Galdamez responded to an advertisement on Craigslist, titled ‘Bored and Home Alone Looking For Some Fun – w4w – (ASK),’ under the ‘Casual Encounters’ link. Over the next 24 hours, he 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.

After engaging in the online conversations, Galdamez drove to the location where he had arranged to meet Crystal. However, officers arrested him once he arrived at the location for attempted online enticement of a child.

As a result of the guilty verdict, Galdamez faces a sentence of 10 years to life in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, not less than 5 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.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the government in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Herbert Lindsey.

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