Tavaris Marvidis Johnson, a 43-year-old resident of Tampa, has been indicted on charges related to the attempted production and receipt of child sexual abuse material, as well as transferring obscene material to a minor. If convicted on all counts, Johnson could face up to 60 years in federal prison. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe.
The indictment alleges that between August 2 and August 9, 2025, Johnson tried to use, persuade, and induce a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions of such acts. During this same period, he is accused of attempting to receive visual materials involving the sexual abuse of a minor. Additionally, between August 8 and August 9, 2025, Johnson allegedly transferred obscene material to someone he knew was under the age of 16.
Authorities emphasize that an indictment is only a formal charge and that every defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI along with the Tampa Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney Derry will prosecute the case.
This prosecution falls under Project Safe Childhood, an initiative started by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at addressing child sexual exploitation and abuse across the country. The program coordinates resources from federal, state, and local agencies to find offenders who exploit children and assist victims. More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at www.justice.gov/psc.
