A federal grand jury has indicted Thomas Ford, 61, of St. Petersburg, on a charge of accessing child sexual abuse material with the intent to view it. The indictment alleges that between July 25, 2024, and March 19, 2025, Ford accessed material depicting a child under the age of 12 engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
If convicted, Ford faces up to 20 years in federal prison. The indictment also includes notice that the United States intends to forfeit two cellphones believed to have been used during the alleged offense.
"An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty."
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Muriel Moore will prosecute it.
This case falls under Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse by coordinating efforts among federal, state, and local agencies. More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at www.justice.gov/psc.
