THE BREAKDOWN: A 39-year-old Beverly Hills man faces up to life in prison after an undercover federal sting operation stopped an alleged attempt to travel from Citrus County to Marion County to meet and abuse a child.
CITRUS COUNTY, Fla. – Brian James Verka, 39, of Beverly Hills, is facing severe federal charges after allegedly falling for an online sting operation run by federal agents. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announced that a grand jury has indicted Verka on charges of attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity and attempted production of child sexual abuse material.
Court documents outline a week-long online conversation that took place between May 27 and June 2, 2026. Verka believed he was messaging a 13-year-old girl. In reality, his chat partner was an undercover special agent with Homeland Security Investigations.
Throughout their communication, Verka allegedly detailed his desires to engage in sexual activity with the minor and explicitly asked her to produce and send him computationally or digitally explicit images of herself.
The online interaction culminated in an agreement to meet in person. On June 2, 2026, Verka traveled to a designated location in Marion County, expecting to meet the child. Instead, law enforcement officers were waiting and placed him under arrest. He is currently being detained while he awaits the resolution of his criminal proceedings.
The legal stakes for Verka are high if the case results in a conviction. The charge of attempted enticement carries a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 10 years and a maximum penalty of life in prison. The charge of attempted production of child sexual abuse material carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in prison.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office led the investigation into Verka’s actions. Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg is assigned to prosecute the case.
READ: Dog Bites Back: Deputies In Florida Search For Wounded Suspect After Forest Attack
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.
