An Orlando man has been sentenced to prison after Seminole County prosecutors convicted him at trial of traveling to meet a minor for sex.

A jury found ELESEN ALEXIS, 23, guilty in May based on evidence and testimony presented at trial by prosecutors Sarah Mian and Rich Coln. Circuit Judge Michael Rudisill sentenced Alexis to five years in state prison, in keeping with state guidelines, followed by three years of sex offender probation during a hearing July 24.

Unlawful travel to meet a minor is a second-degree felony in Florida. Law enforcement officers often use it to catch sex offenders who intend to meet physically with children after making contact online. In Alexis’ case, undercover Seminole County sheriff’s deputies were posing online as a 14-year-old girl named Ashley when they connected with Alexis in April 2025.

In court, Alexis’ attorney argued that he was entrapped because he met the so-called minor on a dating app that requires users to be 18 or older. But sheriff’s investigators said Alexis acknowledged the “girl” was 14 in text messages and described engaging in explicit sexual activity with her before he drove to an agreed-upon location in Altamonte Springs.  Evidence included more than 130 messages between Alexis and undercover agents.