TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – A Tallahassee man was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to trying to solicit sex from a minor he met through an online game.
Austin Keith Hibbert, 25, pleaded guilty to attempting to entice or persuade a minor to engage in sexual activity, attempting to travel for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct and transferring obscene material to a person under 16 earlier this year.
Court documents show that between May 2023 and August 2024, Hibbert was chatting on social media with a 13-year-old from Northern Europe. The two met through “a popular internet game,” according to documents.
More on crime in our area:
The communication quickly became sexual in nature and Hibbert told the child he was going to travel to Estonia to meet them. Records show Hibbert also sent explicit videos to the child.
In August 2024, law enforcement discovered he had gotten a passport and booked a flight to Estonia. Police intercepted Hibbert at the airport and searched his bags, where they found his passport, a bracelet, and a box of condoms.
A later search of his devices confirmed Hibbert’s communications with the child, his travel plans and that he had booked a hotel near where the child lived.
Estonian police said this case is a great example of cooperation and that the fight against child sexual exploitation is global.
To keep up with the latest news as it develops, follow WCTV on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Nextdoor and X (Twitter).
Have a news tip or see an error? Write to us here. Please include the article’s headline in your message.
Be the first to see all the biggest headlines by downloading the WCTV News app. Click here to get started.
Copyright 2025 WCTV. All rights reserved.