A North Carolina man is facing decades in federal prison after a routine traffic stop in Putnam County, Florida, led to the discovery of a missing 16-year-old girl and evidence of severe sexual abuse.
United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announced the indictment of 37-year-old Joshua Lewis Magraff, who is now charged with producing child sex abuse material and transporting a minor across state lines for illegal sexual contact.
The investigation began on February 2, 2026, when the teenager was reported missing from her home in Gastonia, North Carolina.
For over a month, her whereabouts remained unknown until a Putnam County Sheriff’s deputy pulled Magraff over for a traffic violation on March 8.
During the stop, Magraff claimed the girl in his vehicle was his 16-year-old “little cousin.” Authorities say the girl initially provided false identification to the deputy but eventually revealed her true name, confirming she was the missing child from Gastonia.
READ: Ex-Michigan Coach Sherrone Moore Avoids Jail Time, Gets Probation For 2025 Confrontation
According to court records, Magraff’s story shifted during questioning. He initially told investigators he met the girl at a North Carolina hotel about a month prior and that they were heading to Florida to visit gambling arcades. While he first denied she had ever been in his hotel room, he later admitted she had stayed with him for several weeks.
The case took a more clinical turn after law enforcement executed search warrants on two cellphones found in Magraff’s car. Federal prosecutors allege that the devices contained multiple videos showing Magraff performing sexual acts on the minor.
The charges carry heavy penalties: a conviction for producing the abuse material brings a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, while the transportation charge carries a minimum of 10 years and the potential for a life sentence.
The arrest was a joint effort between Homeland Security Investigations, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, and the Gastonia Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Laura Cofer Taylor is set to prosecute the case under the umbrella of Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative focused on child exploitation.
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
