Tampa, Florida - Tavaris Marvidis Johnson (43, Tampa) has been charged by indictment with attempted production and receipt of child sex abuse material and transfer of obscene material to a minor. If convicted on all counts, Johnson faces a maximum penalty of 60 years in federal prison. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.

According to the indictment, between August 2 and August 9, 2025, Johnson attempted to use, persuade, and induce a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct. During the same time period, Johnson knowingly attempted to receive a visual depiction involving the sexual abuse of a minor. Between August 8 and August 9, 2025, Johnson knowingly transferred obscene material to an individual who he knew was under the age of 16 years.

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

This case was investigated by the FBI and the Tampa Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Courtney Derry.

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 www.justice.gov/psc.