A Canadian citizen, James Hjelmeland, age 30, pleaded guilty in Orlando federal court to attempted enticement of a minor for sexual activity and several offenses related to child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The announcement was made by United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe.
Hjelmeland admitted to one count of attempted enticement of a minor, two counts of distributing CSAM, one count of transporting CSAM, and one count of possessing CSAM. For the attempted enticement charge, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and could receive up to life imprisonment. Each distribution and transportation offense carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years and up to 20 years’ imprisonment. The possession charge also carries a maximum penalty of 20 years.
According to the plea agreement, on December 29, 2024, an undercover detective from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office posed as the guardian of a fictional 12-year-old child. Hjelmeland engaged in sexually explicit conversations with the detective and arranged travel from Canada to Orlando with the intent to have sex with the child. During these communications, he distributed CSAM to the undercover officer. Upon his arrest in Orlando, authorities found additional CSAM on his cell phone involving children under age 12 that he had transported into the United States.
The investigation involved Homeland Security Investigations, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, United States Customs and Border Patrol, and the Southern Alberta Internet Child Exploitation Team. Assistant United States Attorney Kaley Austin-Aronson is prosecuting this case.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood—a Department of Justice initiative launched in May 2006—designed to combat child sexual exploitation by coordinating efforts among federal, state, and local agencies. More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
