A Jacksonville man, Jerry Alexander Cobb, has pleaded guilty to attempting to entice a 13-year-old child to engage in sexual activity using his cellphone and the internet. Cobb, age 38, now faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison, with the possibility of life imprisonment and a lifetime term of supervised release. His sentencing is scheduled for May 27, 2026. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe.
Court documents show that between July 18 and August 1, 2025, an FBI agent conducted an undercover operation on a social media application aimed at identifying adults seeking sexual contact with minors. During this operation, Cobb communicated through private messages with the agent, who was posing as a 13-year-old girl. After being told about the child's age, Cobb responded: "[w]e can be friends" and repeatedly asked about her location, whether she could "sneak out at night," and if she was a "virgin."
On July 30, Cobb suggested meeting in person and texted: "[y]ou want to just get a hotel room?" He also proposed engaging in sexual activity at the hotel and promised to bring and use a condom. The following day he confirmed his intentions by texting: "[y]es I’m serious that we can [have] sex." Plans were made for Cobb to meet the purported child later that day in Jacksonville.
Cobb traveled to the arranged location where he intended to meet the child for sex but was arrested upon arrival by FBI agents.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, and Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown is prosecuting the case.
This prosecution falls under Project Safe Childhood—a nationwide Department of Justice initiative started in 2006 to address child sexual exploitation and abuse. The project brings together federal, state, and local resources to investigate and prosecute those who exploit children sexually while working to identify victims. More information about Project Safe Childhood is available at www.justice.gov/psc.
