A Texas man who traveled to Florida to have sex with a 13-year-old girl he met online has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison.
Tyler Colton Rock, 26, pleaded guilty to charges of coercion/enticement of a minor and transferring obscene material to minors. Rock initiated an online relationship with the victim, soliciting explicit images from her and sending her sexually explicit images and videos of himself.
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In February 2023, Rock traveled from Texas to Pinellas County with the intent of engaging in sexual activity with the child. He brought condoms, emergency contraception, and stuffed animals. He also provided the victim with marijuana before having sex with her.
“This man knew what he was doing was a federal crime, and yet, continued to prey on the young victim,” said FBI Tampa Special Agent in Charge Matthew Fodor. “This investigation is another example of the tenacious commitment of our agents and analysts to rescue children from these sexual predators.”
The case was investigated by the FBI and the St. Petersburg Police Department and prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse.
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