A Marion County man has pleaded guilty to attempting to entice two minors for sexual activity. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Terry Levi Brown, 36, of Summerfield, admitted to the charge and now faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison, with the possibility of life imprisonment. The sentencing date has not yet been determined.
Court documents state that in July 2025, detectives from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office conducted an undercover operation targeting individuals suspected of using the internet to exploit children. On July 27, two detectives posed online as a 14-year-old girl and a 15-year-old girl. Brown initiated contact with both undercover accounts and engaged in sexually explicit conversations after learning he was communicating with minors. He was arrested when he traveled to meet them in Marion County for sexual activity.
The investigation was carried out by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg is prosecuting the case.
The case falls under Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative started in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse nationwide. The program coordinates efforts among federal, state, and local agencies to identify offenders and rescue victims. More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at www.justice.gov/psc.
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