Jason James Atha, a 51-year-old dentist from Broomfield, Colorado, has entered a guilty plea in the Southern District of Florida. He faces charges of attempted enticement of a minor and transportation of child pornography.
Court records reveal that starting on October 3, 2023, Atha used a social networking app to solicit sexual acts with an 8-year-old child by communicating with someone he believed to be the child's mother in the Southern District of Florida. However, the person was an undercover special agent from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). On August 9, Atha traveled to Palm Beach International Airport intending to meet for sexual activities and was apprehended upon arrival. Authorities found videos containing child pornography on his devices.
Atha's sentencing is scheduled for March 11, 2025, in Ft. Pierce, Florida before U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon. He could face life imprisonment for attempted enticement of a minor and up to 20 years for transporting child pornography.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and HSI Miami Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury.
The investigation was conducted by HSI West Palm Beach with significant assistance from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Schiller is leading the prosecution.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a national initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse. The program unites federal, state, and local resources to identify and prosecute offenders while rescuing victims.
For more details about Project Safe Childhood or related court documents regarding this case under number 24-cr-80102, visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov or www.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Anyone with information about child sexual exploitation can contact (877) 4-HSI-TIP [(877) 447-4847].