A 52-year-old Silver Springs man who tried to meet a minor for sex will spend at least a decade behind bars.
Last week, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida announced that Jason Shane Ejmali has pleaded guilty to attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity.
The plea agreement states that from Thursday, July 24 through Saturday, July 26, Ejmali messaged an individual who seemed willing to “provide their 13 to 14-year-old foster child to engage in sexual activity.” However, that individual was actually an undercover Homeland Security Investigations special agent.
During the conversation with the undercover agent, Ejmali discussed the type of sexual acts that he wanted to perform with the minor. He then agreed to meet the minor at an unspecified location in Marion County.
When Ejmali arrived at that location, he was met by law enforcement officers and placed under arrest.
Ejmali remains in custody at Marion County Jail while he awaits his sentencing hearing, which has not yet been scheduled. He is facing a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
Additionally, this case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, which is a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.