Tallahassee man sentenced to decade in federal prison for child exploitation crimes & firearm possession by felon (DOJ)

Tallahassee, Florida - Amontea Allen John Mitchell, 28, of Tallahassee, Florida, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to attempted enticement of a minor, attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: "Our state and federal law enforcement partners remain ever-vigilant to stay one step ahead of the sexual predators, like this defendant, who seek to sexually exploit and victimize kids online. Aggressively prosecuting these sick individuals and ensuring they remain locked away in prison is the best way we can ensure our kids stay safe, and that is exactly what I will ensure my office does in cases like this."

Court documents reflect that in April 2026, the Leon County Sheriff's Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Tallahassee Police Department conducted an undercover operation to identify individuals using the internet to sexually exploit children. During the operation, the defendant responded to an online advertisement for a female escort and began communicating through text message with an undercover officer who was posing as a 15-year-old child. After the undercover officer told the defendant he was speaking to a 15-year-old female, the defendant proceeded to send an obscene photograph and asked the child to produce child pornography to send to him. The defendant ultimately expressed an interest in engaging in sex with the child. Law enforcement arrested the defendant near an arranged meeting location. Inside the defendant's backpack, agents found three condoms and a firearm. The defendant is a felon with multiple prior felony convictions and is legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.

"Protecting children from those who seek to exploit them requires vigilance and collaboration," said Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell. "This investigation is an example of what can be accomplished when local and federal law enforcement agencies combine their resources and expertise. We will continue working alongside our partners to identify those who prey on children and protect the most vulnerable members of our community."

Upon his release from federal prison, Mitchell will be required to serve five years of supervised release and register as a sex offender.

The conviction and sentence were the result of a joint investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Tallahassee Police Department, the Leon County Sheriff's Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Emma Schwan prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood and Project Safe Neighborhoods. Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice's nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys' offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department's commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump's Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation's principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney's Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.

Contact

United States Attorney's Office
Northern District of Florida
[email protected]
X: @USAO_NDFL

Updated September 28, 2026