Traveling to Meet a Minor

In Florida, it is a second-degree felony to travel any distance with the intention of meeting a minor for sex. Usually, this involves a law enforcement sting online, with detectives pretending to be minors. Initially, they make a profile on an adult dating site saying they are somewhere around 18 to 21 years old. Then, during the online chat, they reveal they are “actually 14 or 15 years old” and wait for the conversation to turn sexual. This charge is often accompanied by other charges such as soliciting a child for unlawful sex through a computer and unlawful use of a two-way communication device. Prosecutors can seek life-long sex offender status and a lengthy prison sentence. In addition, the fact that there was no actual minor involved is not a defense to this charge.