Tampa Man Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Meet a Minor to Engage in Sexual Activity

Ocala, Florida - Ballardo Andres Polanco (32, Seffner) has pleaded guilty to attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity and attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor. Polanco faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison for the attempted enticement offense and a maximum penalty of 10 years' imprisonment for the attempted transfer of obscene material offense. A sentencing date has not yet been set. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.

According to the plea agreement, between December 29, 2025, and February 10, 2026, Polanco messaged an individual whom he believed was a 14-year-old girl. That individual was actually an undercover special agent from Homeland Security Investigations. During the conversation, Polanco graphically described the sexual activity in which he wanted to engage with the minor. Polanco also sent explicit images of himself during this conversation. Ultimately, Polanco encouraged the minor to skip school to engage in sexual activity with him. On February 10, 2026, Polanco traveled from Tampa to Marion County to meet the minor to engage in sexual activity. Polanco was arrested by law enforcement when he arrived at the meeting location.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Marion County Sheriff's Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.