Deltona Man Receives Life Sentence for Coercing Autistic Minor Into Sexual Activity

Orlando, Florida — James Bernard Grover, 63, of Deltona, was sentenced to life in federal prison on June 2, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Carlos Mendoza for coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity.

A federal jury in the Middle District of Florida convicted Grover on February 27, 2026. The case centered on Grover’s repeated online and in-person efforts to compel an autistic minor to participate in sexual acts, conduct prohibited under federal law governing enticement and coercion of minors.

The sentence imposes permanent incarceration with no possibility of parole. Grover must also comply with lifetime sex-offender registration and notification obligations under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. Federal courts routinely order restitution to cover counseling and other costs incurred by victims of child sexual exploitation; the precise restitution amount will be determined in subsequent proceedings.

The conviction and life term mean Grover will never again have unsupervised contact with minors. The U.S. Bureau of Prisons will now assume custody and designate a permanent facility, while the U.S. Probation Office will close its pretrial supervision file.

The victim’s family can pursue civil remedies in parallel, and the federal government may seek forfeiture of any devices or property Grover used to facilitate the crimes.

This case is one of dozens of federal prosecutions brought each year in the Middle District of Florida targeting online enticement and coercion of minors. The Department of Justice has prioritized such cases since the passage of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006, which strengthened penalties for offenses involving autistic or otherwise vulnerable children.

The jury verdict followed a trial that presented digital evidence, victim testimony, and expert analysis of the minor’s developmental vulnerabilities. Sentencing occurred less than four months after the guilty verdict, consistent with federal speedy-sentencing practices in child-exploitation matters.