Jason R. Coody, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida
Stephen Christopher Young, a 58-year-old resident of Gainesville, Florida, has been sentenced to 121 months in prison for the receipt and attempted receipt of child pornography. The sentencing was announced by Michelle Spaven, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
“Crimes against children are unacceptable,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Spaven. “Those who seek to view and maintain child pornography facilitate the abuse of children by those who produce and profit from this illegal content. We will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to ensure that we aggressively prosecute these offenders.”
In March 2024, investigators executed a federal search warrant at Young’s residence. They found that he had been exchanging child pornography with others using applications designed to evade detection through end-to-end encryption.
Following his prison sentence, Young will face lifetime supervised release. He is also ordered to pay $20,500 in restitution and must register as a sex offender while adhering to all related conditions.
“It’s crucial to prioritize the protection of children from sexual abuse,” said Alachua County Sheriff Chad Scott.
The investigation was carried out by the Internet Crime Against Children Task Force Gainesville Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Meredith Steer and Adam Hapner prosecuted the case.
“This case is another example of the FBI's relentless commitment to protecting children by removing predators from our community,” said Jason Carley, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jacksonville. “Let this be a lesson to others who prey on vulnerable kids; the FBI and our partners will never stop working to identify, pursue, and hold child predators accountable.”
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse nationwide. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, it coordinates federal, state, and local resources for apprehending individuals exploiting children online while rescuing victims.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one among 94 offices serving as principal litigators under direction from the Attorney General. Public court documents can be accessed via their website or through U.S. District Court for Northern Districts' portal online.
