An Arizona man was sentenced on Mar. 18 in Fort Pierce to 40 years in federal prison for producing and transporting child sexual abuse material involving a minor from Indian River County, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by law enforcement to address crimes involving the exploitation of children online and across state lines. The sentence aims to hold offenders accountable and protect other children from harm.
U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon sentenced Joshua Black, 38, to 480 months in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release after he pleaded guilty to production and transportation of material involving the sexual exploitation of minors. “This defendant used the internet to target a 13-year-old child, manipulate her into sexual exploitation, and preserve those images for his own gratification,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “He then crossed state lines to continue that abuse in person. Production of child sexual abuse material is among the most serious crimes we prosecute because it permanently records a child’s victimization. Forty years in federal prison ensures accountability and protects other children from future harm.”
According to court records, Black sexually abused a minor between 2023 and 2025 when she was between 13 and 15 years old. He took screenshots during video calls with the victim engaging in sexually explicit conduct and later traveled from Arizona to Vero Beach, Florida, where he met her at a hotel.
The investigation was conducted by FBI Miami’s Fort Pierce Resident Agency with assistance from the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica Kahn Obenauf and Justin Hoover prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation through coordinated efforts among federal, state, and local agencies.
Anyone with information about child sexual exploitation or abuse is encouraged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
