⏱ 2 min read
An Ocala man’s twisted obsession with a minor has landed him in federal prison. Benjamin Hoover, 44, was sentenced to three years and 10 months behind bars for attempting to transfer obscene material to a 15-year-old girl.
On July 23, 2025, Hoover sent a sexually explicit image of himself to someone he thought was a 15-year-old girl. But in reality, it was an undercover detective with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.
Hoover pleaded guilty on January 7, 2026, to the federal crime. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announced the sentencing.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse.
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📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Sex Crimes
- Defendant: florida
- Location: US
- Source: DOJ Press Release
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