A federal jury in Orlando has convicted James Bernard Grover, 63, of Deltona, for coercing and enticing a minor to engage in sexual activity. Grover was the founder and executive director of the Special Needs Advocacy Program (SNAP), a nonprofit organization located in Sanford, Florida. According to evidence presented at trial, Grover met an autistic minor through SNAP and coerced the victim into sexual activity.
Grover now faces a maximum sentence of life in federal prison. His sentencing is scheduled for May 28, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announced the conviction.
The investigation involved multiple agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, and Sanford Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Diane S. Hu and Robert D. Sowell are prosecuting the case.
"This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse," according to the press release from U.S. Attorney Kehoe's office. "Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), 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." More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at www.justice.gov/psc.
