A federal jury in Orlando has convicted James Bernard Grover, 63, of Deltona, for coercing and enticing a minor to engage in sexual activity. Grover could face a life sentence in federal prison. His sentencing is scheduled for May 28, 2026. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe.
Testimony and evidence presented at the trial showed that Grover was the founder and executive director of the Special Needs Advocacy Program (SNAP), a nonprofit based in Sanford, Florida. Through his role at SNAP, he met an autistic minor and coerced the victim into sexual activity.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation with assistance from the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, and Sanford Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Diane S. Hu and Robert D. Sowell are prosecuting the case.
“This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse,” according to the release. “Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.” More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at www.justice.gov/psc.
