PANAMA CITY, FLORIDA - Michael Shawn Garrett, 44, of Panama City Beach, was arraigned yesterday in the U.S. District Court in Panama City after a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging him with attempted enticement of a minor for sex. The indictment was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
The indictment alleges that, in May 2017, Garrett attempted to entice a minor under the age of 18 to engage in sexual activity. The trial is scheduled for Aug. 21, 2017, at 8:15 a.m.
The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Panama City Beach Police Department, and the North Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher J. Thielemann.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
