JACSONVILLE, Fla — The Department of Justice announced the return of an indictment that is charging Kevin John Merritt 61, of Jacksonville with the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse materials.
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Merritt faces a minimum mandatory 25 years, and up to 110 years, in federal prison. Merritt has been a registered sex offender since 2011 when he was convicted in federal court in Jacksonville of possessing child sexual abuse materials.
Merritt was arrested on March 16, 2023, and has been in custody since that time.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office partnered with the FBI to investigate this case.
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This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.
Project Safe Childhood utilizes resources spanning from local to federal in order to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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