FORT MYERS, Florida — Javier Chavez, a 34-year-old from Sarasota, has pleaded guilty to charges of attempted enticement of a minor and attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor. Chavez faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in federal prison, with a sentencing date yet to be scheduled.
According to court documents, Chavez engaged in explicit communication on May 15 and 16, 2024, with an undercover officer posing as a mother and her 14-year-old daughter. After learning the girl’s age, Chavez sent explicit videos and was apprehended by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office when he arrived at a location intending to engage in sexual activity. Chavez admitted his intentions were sexual, according to the United States Attorney’s Office.
The case was investigated by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Morgan. It is part of Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative launched in May 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information, visit www.justice.gov/psc.