A 22-year-old man from St. Johns County has been found guilty of multiple charges, including capital sexual battery, following a two-day trial, according to the State Attorney’s Office.
ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — On Thursday, State Attorney R.J. Larizza’s office revealed that Ali Moreno was convicted on several serious charges. These include two counts of sexual battery on a person under the age of 12, traveling to meet a minor, and soliciting a child for illegal sexual conduct online while misrepresenting his age. Moreno was also found guilty of promoting a sexual performance by a child, possessing child pornography, and the illegal use of a two-way communication device.
Moreno’s arrest in 2024 stemmed from his actions on the social media platform Snapchat, where he allegedly posed as a 15-year-old. Utilizing this false identity, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office reported that Moreno groomed an 11-year-old girl. He reportedly picked her up from a location near her bus stop and took her to another site where he assaulted her.
Following Moreno’s arrest, the sheriff’s office urged the community to be vigilant and report any suspicions if they believed their children might be victims. The State Attorney’s Office noted that their investigation uncovered several additional victims linked to Moreno’s activities.
After creating the account, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, which led the initial investigation into Moreno, says that he groomed an 11-year-old girl and “picked her up near her bus stop and drove to another location, where he assaulted her.”
At the time of his arrest, the sheriff’s office had asked the community to report any suspicion if they believed their children to be a victim of Moreno. The SAO states that through their investigation, several additional victims had been identified.
“The defendant is the ultimate serial sexual predator preying upon our young and most vulnerable victims,” State Attorney R.J. Larizza said about the case. “Sexual abuse has a profound and lasting effect on those who suffer it. I hope the defendant suffers tenfold in comparison.
