Clayton Lee Harris, 22, of Ocklawaha, has been sentenced to ten years in federal prison following an online sting that began with a bogus dating profile. Harris was sentenced today to ten years in federal prison after pleading guilty to attempting to persuade a juvenile to engage in sexual behavior. Prosecutors say he planned to meet what he thought was a 14-year-old he had met online but was detained when he arrived at the predetermined meeting location. The punishment was imposed by US District Judge Thomas P. Barber in Ocala federal court.
According to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, Harris pleaded guilty on November 13, 2025, and was sentenced on March 4, 2026, after prosecutors presented the internet chats and information of the scheduled meeting to the court. Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson prosecuted the case, which was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. According to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, the prosecution was part of Project Safe Childhood.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida likewise emphasized the decision on X, posting a brief update that was consistent with the federal press statement and identified the investigation as part of Project Safe Childhood. According to USAO Middle Florida on X, the social post confirmed the schedule for the July 2025 undercover operation and the November plea agreement.
According to court papers and a previous plea statement, an undercover officer was running a dating website account that Harris believed belonged to a 14-year-old. Investigators say Harris had explicit online communications with the alleged juvenile before agreeing to meet at a neighborhood gas station on July 26, 2025. When he arrived at the place, police arrested him. These details were previously released by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.
The attempted enticing of a juvenile carries a particularly severe federal punishment. Under 18 U.S.C. Section 2422(b), anybody who utilizes any facility or means of interstate or foreign commerce to encourage or entice a minor under 18 to engage in sexual behavior shall be fined and imprisoned for at least ten years or life. Harris was sentenced to ten years in prison, which is the required minimum specified in the Act. 18 U.S.C. § 2422 contains the whole statutory language.
According to authorities, Harris’ case is one of several in the Middle District of Florida this year coming from online sting operations aimed at discouraging adults from meeting kids for sex. In recent months, the Orlando office of Homeland Security Investigations and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office collaborated on similar activities, as seen by public releases and news reports. For more information on analogous prosecutions in the area, see Federal Newswire and ICE HSI Orlando’s separate statement on an April 2025 sentence date.
The Harris sentence ends this particular federal prosecution, but the US Attorney’s Office said it will continue to pursue adults who use online platforms to target children. Officials urge anyone with knowledge regarding potential child exploitation to contact local authorities or Homeland Security Investigations.
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