A St. Cloud resident, James Edward Cox, Jr., has been sentenced to eight years and one month in federal prison for crimes involving child sexual abuse materials. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron following Cox's guilty plea on August 14, 2024.
Court documents reveal that a search of Cox's home by the St. Cloud Police Department on January 19, 2024, led to his arrest after images were found during an examination of devices at his residence. These materials included hundreds of images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of infants and young girls. One such image had been uploaded by Cox to a website as he sought similar content online.
In a recorded jail call, Cox described his actions as searching for "little girls." David Pezzutti from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Orlando commented on the case: “Actively scouring the dark web to find and collect sexual abuse content of children perpetuates the suffering of innocent victims around the world.” He further noted that the sentencing reflects both the severity of Cox's crimes and HSI's dedication to protecting children from harm.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations with support from the St. Cloud Police Department and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Assistant United States Attorney Dana E. Hill is prosecuting the case.
This prosecution falls under Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse nationwide.