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By Josh Hall | @Vancan19

Arrested in January 2025

Red Deer man’s Florida trial delayed until September

Jul 23, 2025 | 8:00 AM

A Red Deer man accused of various child exploitation-related offences in the United States has had his trial delayed.

James Hjelmeland, 30, was scheduled to stand trial in Florida in June for the following charges:

• One count of attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity
• Two counts of distributing, one count of transporting
• One count of possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM)

The U.S. Attorney’s Office, Middle District of Florida, has confirmed to rdnewsNOW that the defendant, Hjelmeland, requested to continue his trial for 60 days, meaning it was pushed back to Sept. 18.

Hjelmeland remains in federal custody.

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Hjelmeland was charged in February 2025, following his January arrest in Florida.

This all stemmed from an investigation involving an undercover detective with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, who posed as the guardian of a 12-year-old in a chat — allegedly with Hjelmeland — on Dec. 29, 2024.

Hjelmeland is said to have messaged the undercover detective and inquired about the age of the “child.”

It’s alleged he then engaged in sexually explicit conversation with the undercover detective and made plans to travel from Canada to Orlando to have sex with the “child.”

During the conversation, it’s said, Hjelmeland distributed CSAM to the detective; furthermore, when he was arrested in Orlando on Jan. 24, there was, allegedly, CSAM on his mobile device involving children under the age of 12.

If convicted, Hjelmeland faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison for the attempted offense; a minimum of five years, up to 20 years, in federal prison for each distribution and transportation offense; and up to 20 years in federal prison for the possession offense.