JACKSONVILLE, Fla — Jerry Alexander Cobb, 38, of Jacksonville, has pleaded guilty to using his cellphone and the internet to try to entice a 13-year-old to engage in sexual activity. Cobb faces a minimum of 10 years to life in federal prison, with a potential lifetime of supervised release. Sentencing is scheduled for May 27, 2026, U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announced.

Court documents show that between July 18 and August 1, 2025, Cobb exchanged private messages on a social media app with an undercover FBI agent posing as a 13-year-old. After being told the “child’s” age, Cobb continued to ask about her location, whether she could “sneak out at night,” and if she was a “virgin.” On July 30, he suggested meeting at a hotel for sex and promised to bring a condom. Cobb confirmed the plan the next day and traveled to the location in Jacksonville, where FBI agents arrested him.

The investigation was part of an undercover operation in Jacksonville targeting adults seeking sexual contact with minors. It involved multiple agencies, including the FBI, St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, and Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, who worked together to identify, track, and apprehend Cobb. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney D. Rodney Brown.

This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide DOJ initiative launched in 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation, prosecute offenders, and protect victims.

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