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By Josh Hall | @Vancan19

james hjelmeland

Red Deer man pleads guilty to sex charges in Florida

Dec 2, 2025 | 9:49 AM

Author’s note: This story contains details which may be disturbing or triggering to some readers.

A Red Deer man has pleaded guilty to several sex-related charges in a Florida court.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Middle District of Florida, 30-year-old James Hjelmeland pleaded guilty in late November to one count of attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity, as well as two counts of distributing, one count of transporting, and one count of possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

As previously reported by rdnewsNOW, Hjelmeland faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison for the enticement charge, plus 5-20 years for each distribution and transportation offense, and up to 20 years for possession.

Per the U.S. Attorney’s Office:

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“According to the plea agreement, on December 29, 2024, an Orange County Sheriff’s Office undercover detective posed as the guardian of a 12-year-old fictional child. Hjelmeland engaged in sexually explicit conversation with the undercover detective and made plans to travel from Canada to Orlando, Florida to have sex with the child. During the course of the conversation, Hjelmeland distributed CSAM to the undercover detective. When Hjelmeland was arrested in Orlando, Florida, he possessed CSAM material on his cellular phone that he had transported to the United States involving children who had not attained 12 years of age.”

Hjelmeland’s sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 25, 2026.

It’s also noted this case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, United States Customs and Border Patrol, and the Southern Alberta Internet Child Exploitation Team (part of ALERT). It has been prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kaley Austin-Aronson.

Additionally, it’s noted this case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the American Department of Justice, “to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.”