Tallahassee Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Minor Enticement Attempt

A 40-year-old Tallahassee resident and registered sex offender pleaded guilty on May 5, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida to one count of attempted enticement of a minor and one count of penalties for registered sex offenders, per the U.S. Department of Justice press release.

The case involves Dawaun Shunard Jackson, who targeted a single minor victim in his attempted enticement, as detailed in the charges. Federal statutes apply to registered offenders nationwide, affecting over 900,000 individuals on sex offender registries across the U.S., according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's documented registry data.

This enforcement action underscores protections for minors in Florida's Northern District, which covers 23 counties and serves a population of about 3.5 million residents, per U.S. Census Bureau figures.

Jackson's status shifted from charged defendant to convicted felon upon entering the guilty plea. Previously, he faced trial proceedings, but the plea agreement now directs the case to sentencing, scheduled within standard federal timelines of 60 to 90 days from the plea date, per Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure.

The change eliminates the need for a jury trial and activates mandatory minimum penalties under the cited statutes.

Sentencing will impose a minimum 10-year prison term for the enticement count under 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b), with potential lifetime supervised release, as specified in the statute. The registered offender penalty under 18 U.S.C. § 2260A adds a consecutive five-year minimum sentence.

Prosecutors must now prepare a presentence investigation report for the judge, triggering Jackson's eligibility for federal Bureau of Prisons placement upon sentencing. The U.S. Probation Office will monitor compliance post-release, enforcing registration updates every three months for life.

The U.S. Department of Justice has pursued over 500 similar enticement cases annually since 2020, per the department's fiscal year reports. This plea follows Jackson's prior sex offense conviction, which required his registration under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act enacted in 2006.