Monticello, FL – Vertis McNeil Robinson, 47, has been hit with a federal indictment for attempting to entice a minor, marking a chilling development in Florida’s sex crime landscape. The charge was announced by John P. Heekin, the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
Robinson, a resident of Monticello, FL, appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick on August 21, 2025, during which his arraignment took place in Tallahassee’s federal court. His jury trial is set to commence on October 20, 2025, at 8:15 am before District Court Judge Robert L. Hinkle.
Should Robinson be found guilty, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years behind bars, with the possibility of spending his entire life in prison. The investigation into this case was spearheaded by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, alongside the Tallahassee Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meredith L. Steer.
According to legal protocol, an indictment merely implies that a defendant has violated federal criminal law; it does not prove guilt. Robinson maintains his innocence until proven otherwise in a fair trial where the government must demonstrate its case beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is part of Project Safe Childhood, a national effort to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched by the Department of Justice in 2006, Project Safe Childhood mobilizes federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who exploit children online. For more information on this initiative, visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices nationwide that serve as principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. For public court documents online, access the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For further information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
RELATED: Monticello Man Indicted: Attempted Enticement of a Minor
RELATED: Monticello Man Accused of Targeting Minor
Related Federal Cases
- Fort Myers Pedophile Gets 20-Year Sentence For Child Pornography · Florida
- Goldberg Sentenced for Child Enticement in Palm Beach · Florida
- Tampa Predator Manning Gets 10 Years for Child Sex Trafficking Attempt · Florida
- Naomi Ruth Smith on Trial for Child Sex Trafficking · Georgia
- Waterloo Man Pleads Guilty To Child Porn Distribution · Iowa
Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes|Cybercrime
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
