Hayden O’Byrne United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida | The Florida Bar
A federal jury in Fort Pierce, Florida has found Michael Gordon Douglas guilty of multiple charges related to child exploitation. The 48-year-old from Escondido, California was convicted on seven counts of distributing child sexual abuse material and one count of attempted enticement of a minor for sexual activity.
The trial, which lasted five days, revealed that Douglas engaged in conversations within an online chat room focused on incest and other taboo topics. Prosecutors demonstrated that Douglas communicated with an individual he believed to be the mother of an eight-year-old girl. Over several months, he shared explicit content and advised the woman on how to prepare her daughter for sexual activities with him. At one point, Douglas proposed a Halloween gathering where he intended to take the child's virginity.
On the day Douglas planned to meet the child, he fled upon noticing law enforcement but was eventually stopped by agents. During this encounter, a female passenger claimed that Douglas had a grenade. He held a standoff with a SWAT team before surrendering after it was determined the grenade was a replica.
Authorities discovered various items in his car linked to his plans with the child, including sex toys and small-sized lingerie. Evidence showed these were purchased shortly before the scheduled meeting.
Sentencing is set for August 25 at 10 a.m., presided over by U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon. Douglas faces between 15 years and life imprisonment.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and acting Special Agent in Charge Jose Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami Field Office.
HSI offices in Miami and San Diego conducted the investigation while U.S. Attorneys Justin Chapman and Adam McMichael are prosecuting.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at addressing child sexual exploitation nationwide.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood or related court documents, visit www.justice.gov/psc or check case number 23-cr-80219 at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
