United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg has announced the indictment of James Oxley, a 52-year-old resident of Polk City, Florida. Oxley faces charges related to the transportation and possession of child sexual abuse material, including AI-generated content. If found guilty, he could face up to 40 years in federal prison for transporting such material and an additional 20 years for possession-related offenses.

The indictment also mentions the intended forfeiture of a cellphone used in committing these offenses. According to court documents, Oxley was on board a cruise ship that returned to Tampa from Mexico between December 17 and December 22, 2024. During this period, he allegedly transported child sexual abuse material. A search conducted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents revealed images and videos depicting child exploitation on his cellphone.

Oxley is a registered sex offender with previous convictions in 2012 for possessing images showing the sexual performance by a child under Florida state laws.

The case forms part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse nationwide. This initiative involves collaboration among federal, state, and local resources to prosecute offenders and rescue victims.

The investigation was carried out by Homeland Security Investigations alongside U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel will handle the prosecution.

An indictment is merely a formal charge that does not imply guilt; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven otherwise.

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