ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — A 2023 St. Johns County undercover child sex sting operation just resulted in a conviction.
The state attorney’s office announced Tuesday that 38-year-old Joshua Blackwelder was found guilty of multiple charges following a two-day jury trial.
Blackwelder was arrested in the April 2023 undercover operation conducted by the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, targeting people using the internet to sexually exploit children.
According to the SAO, Blackwelder had sent sexual messages over a dating app to what he believed was a 14-year-old girl - but was actually an undercover detective. Blackwelder was making plans to meet with the teenager for sex before being arrested by deputies at his home.
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“The internet is a blessing and a curse,” State Attorney R.J. Larizza said about the case. “Everyone should be aware of the dangers posed by predatory individuals like the defendant. Parents watch, protect and prepare your children for the dangers lurking online.”
Blackwelder is set to be sentenced for the following charges on August 6, 2025:
- Soliciting a Child or a Person Believed to be a Child for Unlawful Sexual Conduct Using Computer Services or Devices
- Unlawful Use of a Two-Way Communications Device
- Two counts of Transmission of Material Harmful to Minors by Electronic Device
Action News Jax is working to obtain his booking photo and arrest report.
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