Bradenton Man Sentenced For Trying To Have Sex With Girl: Feds

BRADENTON, FL — A 52-year-old Bradenton man has been sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to trying to have sex with a 12-year-old girl he met online, the Department of Justice said Wednesday.

The allegations against Brian Walker stem from 2024, when he was accused of trying to entice the girl after meeting her on social media, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office Middle District of Florida.

The girl lived in Walker's area, and when he contacted her, prosecutors said the FBI went undercover and commandeered the girl's social media account. Authorities chatted with Walker using the girl's account, prosecutors said.

"Walker engaged in sexual conversations with the undercover agent, whom he believed to be the 12-year-old female, and attempted to coerce and entice her to engage in sexual activity. Within the conversations, Walker shared his attraction to 12-year-old females and expressed his desire to meet in person," prosecutors said in a news release.

Then, on June 24, 2024, Walker went to meet the girl in person at a community pool and was arrested at the scene, prosecutors said.

His cell phone was seized, and prosecutors said authorities found hundreds of images and videos of minors, including those under the age of 12 years, engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

Walker on March 25 pled guilty to attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity and possession of child sexual abuse material, prosecutors said. He was sentenced to 12 years and 7 months in federal prison, followed by 20 years of supervised release.