A St. Cloud resident, James Edward Cox, Jr., aged 80, has been sentenced to eight years and one month in federal prison for offenses related to child sexual abuse materials. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron following Cox's guilty plea on August 14, 2024.

Court documents reveal that a search of Cox’s residence by officers from the St. Cloud Police Department on January 19, 2024, led to the discovery of incriminating images on his devices. This initial search prompted a further investigation and the arrest of Cox on March 5, 2024. Authorities found hundreds of images and multiple videos depicting the sexual abuse of infants and young girls on a device used by Cox. One image had been uploaded by him to a website as part of his search for similar content. In a monitored jail call, Cox described his actions as looking for “little girls.”

David Pezzutti from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Orlando stated, “Actively scouring the dark web to find and collect sexual abuse content of children perpetuates the suffering of innocent victims around the world.” He added that this sentencing highlights both the severity of Cox's crimes and HSI’s dedication to combating such offenses online.

The investigation involved Homeland Security Investigations with support from the St. Cloud Police Department and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Assistant United States Attorney Dana E. Hill is prosecuting the case.

This prosecution forms part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice aimed at addressing child sexual exploitation and abuse nationwide. The project involves collaboration among federal, state, and local agencies to locate offenders who exploit children and rescue victims.

For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.