Tampa, Florida - A Florida man was arrested Thursday following the return of an indictment by a federal grand jury charging him with two counts of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual activity and two counts of attempted enticement of a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez of the Middle District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge James C. Spero of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements’ Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Tampa made the announcement.
According to the indictment, on March 9, 2015, and again on Feb. 23, 2016, Christopher Edwin Day, 49, of St. Petersburg, Florida, allegedly traveled in interstate and foreign commerce for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct. In addition, starting in at least in or around December 2014, he allegedly attempted to use electronic devices to persuade two minors to engage in criminal sexual conduct.
The case is being investigated by HSI. Trial Attorney Kyle P. Reynolds of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Candace G. Rich of the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
The charges in the indictment are only allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.