Jacksonville, FL – A federal indictment has been issued against Geoffrey Lee Dudding, 39, of Concord, North Carolina, on charges of attempting to entice an 11-year-old child for sexual activity. If convicted, Dudding could face a minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in federal prison, along with a possible lifetime of supervised release.
Dudding is a registered child sex offender with previous convictions in North Carolina for indecent liberties with a minor in 2007 and solicitation of a child by computer for unlawful sexual acts in 2024.
The investigation began on January 13, 2025, when an FBI agent in Jacksonville, working undercover, aimed to identify individuals seeking children for sexual activities online. The agent, posing as a parent, posted messages in a public chat room on a social messaging platform. Dudding, using the alias “metalh34d321,” contacted the agent privately, expressing interest in the agent’s fictitious 11-year-old daughter.
Despite being informed multiple times about the child’s age and location in Florida, Dudding reportedly stated his desire to meet her for sexual purposes, described explicit acts he intended to perform, and sent a sexually explicit video of himself.
Further communication between Dudding and the undercover agent occurred via cellphone text messages, discussing plans for Dudding to travel to Jacksonville and book a hotel room for the encounter.
On May 8, 2025, FBI agents arrested Dudding in Concord, North Carolina. He is currently detained and will be transported to Jacksonville for prosecution.
The case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. The investigation involved the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, and the Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office in North Carolina. Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal charge of federal criminal law violations, and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. For more information on Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
