JACKSONVILLE, FL – Jeremy Wayne Leggett, 37, of Jacksonville, Florida, will spend more than 17 years behind bars after being sentenced for his depraved attempt to meet a 13-year-old child for sexual activity. Chief United States District Judge Marcia Morales Howard handed down the 17-year, 6-month sentence in federal court this week, finally holding Leggett accountable for his predatory behavior.
Leggett’s arrest on June 19, 2023, wasn’t his first brush with the law regarding offenses against children. Court records reveal Leggett is a registered child sex offender, previously convicted in Florida in 2020 of traveling to meet a minor and transmitting harmful materials. This repeat offense clearly demonstrated a pattern of behavior and a continued danger to vulnerable children.
The latest case unfolded when an undercover FBI agent, posing as a child in a social media application, engaged with a user named “dAddi” – Leggett’s online persona. The user brazenly posted a message seeking “under 18” individuals, explicitly stating a desire to “spoil a daughter.” When the UC indicated they were 13, Leggett didn’t hesitate. He immediately began probing, asking if the “child” “liked older men” and sending a photo of himself. His depravity didn’t stop there; he chillingly admitted to being a “pedophile” and proposed performing oral sex in his vehicle.
The online grooming escalated with Leggett sending explicit photos and relentlessly attempting to arrange a meeting over several days. On June 19, 2023, a meeting was scheduled at a Jacksonville retail shopping center. Leggett drove to the location and began circling the parking lot, intending to fulfill his horrifying intentions. When law enforcement attempted a traffic stop, he panicked, reversing his vehicle and attempting to flee. Officers from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and FBI agents quickly apprehended him at a nearby residence.
Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown successfully prosecuted the case, highlighting the dedication of federal, state, and local authorities in combating child sexual exploitation. The investigation was a collaborative effort between the FBI, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to dismantle networks of predators and protect children.
Leggett’s conviction serves as a stark reminder of the dangers lurking online and the importance of vigilance. Project Safe Childhood continues to marshal resources to identify, apprehend, and prosecute those who exploit children, and to rescue victims from this horrific abuse. For more information on Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on similar instances of predatory behavior.
RELATED: Leggett Gets 17+ Years for Targeting 13-Year-Old
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Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes|Cybercrime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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