TALLAHASSEE, Florida — Austen Scott Tucker, a 29-year-old from Panama City, Florida, has been federally charged with attempted enticement of a minor, according to John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
Tucker appeared for his arraignment in federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Charles A. Stampelos in Tallahassee, Florida. His jury trial is scheduled for July 20, 2026, before District Court Judge Mark E. Walker. If convicted, Tucker faces a minimum of 10 years’ imprisonment, and up to life imprisonment.
The case was jointly investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bay County Sheriff’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen. An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial…