Former Jacksonville police officer Josue Garriga III makes a court appearance in Clay County in March.
Published on July 17, 2024 at 9:45 am
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A former Jacksonville police officer pleaded guilty Tuesday to enticement of a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Josue Garriga III, 34, faces a mandatory penalty of 10 years to life in federal prison and must register as a sex offender. A sentencing date has not been set.
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Garriga, who was a gang unit detective with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, pursued a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl whom he met in church in 2023, court documents say. He pursued that relationship until early March, requesting nude photos of her as he sent some of himself over their cellphones, documents say.
Garriga also chatted with the girl more than 120 times over FaceTime, including when she was showering, documents say.
Twice, Garriga used his police vehicle to travel to the girl’s Clay County neighborhood to engage in illegal sexual contact, prosecutors say.
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He resigned in March.
Garriga was investigated by the State Attorney’s Office after he fatally shot 22-year-old Jaimeee Johnson during a traffic stop in 2019. The state attorney ruled the shooting justifiable. The city settled a wrongful death lawsuit filed by Johnson’s family for $200,000.
