David Araujo faces decades in federal prison following a multi-agency investigation that began with an online sting operation.
David Araujo, a 57-year-old resident of St. Petersburg, has pleaded guilty to serious federal charges including the production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and the attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity, announced United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe.
Araujo’s guilty plea comes after a multi-agency investigation that began in July 2024. According to the plea agreement, an undercover officer from the Ocala Police Department, posing online as a 14-year-old prostitute, made contact with Araujo. Despite being aware of the minor’s age, Araujo engaged in a sexually explicit conversation with the officer. During the conversation, he also detailed a previous relationship he had with another minor.
The investigation culminated in Araujo’s arrest when he traveled from St. Petersburg to Marion County with the intention of meeting the undercover officer for sexual activity. A subsequent search of his cellphone uncovered evidence that he had produced CSAM with a previous minor victim on September 25, 2023…