Tampa Man Indicted For Attempting To Coerce And Entice A Minor To Engage In Sexual Activity

Tampa, Florida - United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Yitzchak Reuven Baum (36, Tampa) with attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity, attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor, receipt of child sex abuse material, and accessing with intent to view child sex abuse material. If convicted on all counts, Baum faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison.

According to the indictment, between August and October 2023, Baum attempted to persuade an individual Baum believed to be a minor to engage in sexual activity. In October 2023, Baum attempted to transfer an explicit image to an individual Baum believed to be under the age of 16. On October 30, 2023, Baum knowingly received a visual depiction that involved the sexual abuse of a minor. On December 29, 2023, Baum accessed with the intent to view an image depicting the sexual abuse of a minor.

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

This case was investigated by the Air Force Office of Special Investigations and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Courtney Derry.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.