Florida Man Sentenced for Attempted Child Enticement

Michael Ray Pennington, a 60-year-old resident of Panama City, Florida, has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison following his conviction for attempted enticement of a minor. The sentence was handed down after a federal jury found Pennington guilty, according to an announcement by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

The conviction stems from a November 2025 undercover operation aimed at identifying and apprehending individuals who use the internet to exploit children sexually. During the operation, an undercover officer posted a fictitious advertisement on a website commonly associated with prostitution. Pennington responded to the ad and was informed that he was communicating with a person posing as a 15-year-old child.

Pennington expressed interest in engaging in sexual activity with the child in exchange for money. He was subsequently arrested upon arriving at a prearranged meeting location. A search of his phone confirmed that he had been communicating with the undercover agent through text messaging and phone calls.

Upon completion of his prison term, Pennington will be subject to eight years of supervised release and will be required to register as a sex offender.

Joint Investigation and Prosecution

The case was the result of a collaborative investigation involving the Bay County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Emma Schwan prosecuted the case.

U.S. Attorney Heekin praised the investigative efforts, stating, "Thanks to the excellent investigative work of our state and federal law enforcement partners, my office was able to secure a federal conviction and substantial prison sentence for this defendant. Keeping our kids safe from sexual predators, both online and in our communities, remains a top priority for my office, and we will continue to aggressively prosecute these cases to achieve that goal."

Nicholas Ingegno, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations Tampa, emphasized the commitment to protecting children, stating, "Those who seek to exploit children will find no refuge online or in our communities. Predators who target vulnerable children for sexual abuse will be identified, arrested, and held accountable."

Project Safe Childhood

This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006. The initiative aims to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse by coordinating federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, one of 94 offices serving under the direction of the Attorney General, played a key role in this prosecution. For further information about Project Safe Childhood, individuals are encouraged to visit the Department of Justice's website.