ARKANSAS MAN CONVICTED OF ATTEMPTING TO ENTICE A MINOR TO ENGAGE IN SEXUAL ACTIVITY

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA - Bobby Joe Sheffield, 52, of Paris, Arkansas, was found guilty by a federal jury yesterday of attempting to entice a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity. The verdict was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: "Thanks to the collaboration of our state and federal law enforcement partners in the execution of Operation Safe Summer, and this successful prosecution by the attorneys in my office, this predator is facing justice for his attempt to victimize and sexually exploit a minor child. My office is committed to protecting the most vulnerable members of our community against the predations of offenders who seek to sexually exploit our children, and we will not hesitate to prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law."

Trial testimony demonstrated that in July 2024, federal, state, and local law enforcement executed Operation Safe Summer, an undercover operation designed to apprehend individuals who use the Internet to sexually exploit children online. During the operation, Sheffield communicated with an undercover officer, who he believed to be a minor female, and expressed interest in engaging in sexual activity with the child. When Sheffield arrived at a pre-arranged meeting location, law enforcement arrested him and found condoms in his possession. A subsequent search of his cellular phone confirmed his communication with the undercover officers.

Sheffield faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a maximum of life imprisonment, followed by a term of five years to life of supervised release. He will also be required to register as a sex offender.

The case involved a joint investigation by the Bay County Sheriff's Office and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Harley W. Ferguson and Joseph A. Ravelo.

Sentencing is scheduled for November 19, 2025, at 3:00 pm at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before United States District Judge Mark Walker.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation's principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.