Joshua Allen, a 34-year-old from Houston, Texas, has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for enticing minors to engage in illegal sexual activity. The sentencing was delivered by U.S. District Judge Thomas Barber in Tampa, Florida. After his release, Allen will be subject to 15 years of supervised release and is required to register as a sex offender. The court also ordered the forfeiture of a cellular phone used during the commission of the offense.
According to court documents, between October 2022 and April 2024, Allen used a social media application to persuade minors to send him images and videos involving child exploitation material in exchange for money.
Allen pleaded guilty to two counts related to these offenses in August 2025. "U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement."
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel.
"This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc."
