A Canadian man has been sentenced to more than 17 years in a U.S. federal prison after travelling to Florida in an attempt to have sex with a child and distributing child sexual abuse material.James Hjelmeland, 30, was handed a sentence of 17 years and six months by U.S. District Judge Carlos Mendoza after pleading guilty to attempted enticement of a minor, as well as distributing, transporting and possessing child sexual abuse material.According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida, the case began in December 2024 when an undercover detective with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office posed as the guardian of a fictitious 12-year-old child. Hjelmeland allegedly engaged in sexually explicit conversations and made plans to travel from Canada to Orlando to meet the child.Investigators said Hjelmeland also sent child sexual abuse material during the exchanges. When he arrived in Orlando, he was arrested and found in possession of additional illicit material on his cellphone involving children under 12.U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe said the case highlighted cooperation between local, federal and international law enforcement agencies in stopping child exploitation. .Homeland Security Investigations officials echoed the statement, saying removing offenders from the streets is key to protecting vulnerable children.The investigation involved multiple agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations, United States Customs and Border Protection, and the Southern Alberta Internet Child Exploitation Team.The case was prosecuted under Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide effort launched in 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and identify victims.
