ORLANDO, Fla. – A 30-year-old Canadian man who traveled across the border with the intent to meet a child will now spend nearly two decades in a United States federal prison. James Hjelmeland, a resident of Canada, was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Carlos Mendoza to 17 years and 6 months behind bars.
The sentence follows his guilty plea on November 25, 2025, for the attempted enticement of a minor and multiple charges involving the distribution, transportation, and possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
The investigation into Hjelmeland began in late 2024 when he caught the attention of an undercover detective with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. According to court records, the detective posed as the guardian of a fictional 12-year-old child…