Noel Daniel Simonca, a 48-year-old resident of Jacksonville, has pleaded guilty to charges related to the attempted enticement of a minor child to engage in sexual activity, announced United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe Thursday.
Simonca, who utilized his cellphone and the internet to target a child, now faces a minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in federal prison, along with a potential lifetime term of supervised release.
The arrest followed a targeted online undercover operation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Jacksonville. According to court documents, on December 10, 2024, an undercover FBI agent (UC) posed as the parent of an 11-year-old child and posted a brief message in a public chat room on an online social messaging application.
Shortly after, an individual using the app name “mdesase” initiated contact via private text messaging. The user, later identified as Simonca, confirmed his interest in the child and indicated a preference for children aged “8-13.”
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The online communication escalated quickly. The following day, Simonca and the undercover agent discussed meeting for a “play date” and even contemplated an arrangement to “trade [daughters].”
Throughout the subsequent weeks, Simonca and the agent continued their dialogue regarding a potential in-person meeting. On December 26, 2024, Simonca sent a text to the agent detailing the specific sexual activity he intended to engage in with the agent’s purported 11-year-old child.
The two ultimately agreed to meet at a location in Jacksonville Beach, ostensibly so Simonca could meet the “child” and take her photographs. Further communications in January 2025 cemented the plans for a photo shoot, with Simonca stating on January 10, 2025, that he was “available to help” teach the “child” about sex.
The attempted enticement culminated on January 19, 2025. Simonca drove from his residence to the agreed-upon location in Jacksonville Beach, where he planned to meet the undercover agent and the “child.” Upon arrival, he was immediately arrested by FBI agents.
Simonca has remained in federal custody since his arrest.
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