WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – Billie Harold McDuffie, Jr., 37, Winter Haven, was sentenced to 18 years in federal prison Monday for enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity, possession of device-making equipment, possession of 15 or more unauthorized access devices, and aggravated identity theft.
The court also ordered McDuffie to forfeit a cellphone, two black card encoders, and two desktop computers, which McDuffie used to commit the offenses in this case.
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McDuffie entered a guilty plea on February 15, 2024.
According to court documents, McDuffie met a 15-year-old child victim online and enticed her to engage in sexually explicit conversations via cell phone and social media. For five months, McDuffie repeatedly engaged in sexual contact with the child victim, even after she confirmed that she was a minor. An online tipster notified the Federal Bureau of Investigation of McDuffie’s sexual misconduct with the child.
On July 21, 2022, a search warrant was executed at McDuffie’s residence, where agents found McDuffie and the child victim. Agents returned the child to her family and arrested McDuffie.
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During their search of McDuffie’s residence, agents also found evidence of fraud committed by McDuffie. Evidence included blank check paper, packets of stolen identities, multiple fraudulent debit and credit cards, driver’s licenses, card encoders, and printers.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated this case with assistance from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney D. Richardson-Jones prosecuted it.
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