GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Roosevelt Allen Douglas II, 46, of Hawthorne, pleaded guilty in federal court to accessing child pornography with intent to view it, receiving or attempting to receive child pornography, and possessing child pornography. John P. Heekin, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the plea.
“Our law enforcement partners are relentless in pursuing predators who use the internet to access and transmit child sexual abuse material,” U.S. Attorney Heekin said. “My office will continue to prosecute these cases aggressively to ensure these criminals remain behind federal bars.”
According to court documents, Douglas used a laptop on April 24, 2023, to access a website offering child pornography for sale. After previewing the material, he sent money to an individual involved in receiving and laundering funds for a child pornography distribution enterprise. After investigators learned Douglas had attempted to purchase child pornography on other occasions, they searched his electronic devices and found multiple images of child sexual abuse material.
Because Douglas has a prior conviction involving sexual abuse or abusive sexual conduct with a minor, he faces between 15 and 80 years in prison, along with up to life on supervised release.
Sentencing is set for December 8, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. before U.S. Chief District Judge Allen C. Winsor in Gainesville, Florida.
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The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Hapner is prosecuting the case.
The prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative launched in May 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, the program coordinates federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children online while working to identify and rescue victims. More information is available at Justice.gov/PSC.