A man from Elyria, Ohio has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for crimes involving the sexual exploitation of minors. Joshua R. Glover, 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dan Aaron Polster after pleading guilty to charges related to receiving and distributing visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, as well as possession of child pornography.
Glover was also ordered to serve ten years of supervised release following his imprisonment and must pay $2,000 toward a fund for victims of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The sentencing took place on November 25, 2025.
According to court documents, between January 2022 and January 2024, Glover posed as the owner of a modeling agency on Snapchat and contacted hundreds of minor girls across the United States. Most victims were between 12 and 15 years old. He solicited sexually explicit photos and videos from these children with promises of payment and opportunities in modeling. Investigators found that Glover initiated over 18,000 chats with potential victims and maintained contact with some for extended periods. He directed specific sexual activities for the minors to perform and at times offered to meet them in person.
“Glover’s vile and despicable manipulation of underage girls has come to an end. He will no longer commit these heinous and horrendous crimes against vulnerable children,” said United States Attorney David M. Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio. “We are immensely grateful to the FBI Cleveland for the thorough investigation that led to Glover’s three-decades-long sentence to keep him behind bars where he cannot continue this predatory behavior.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Greg Nelsen commented: “Contacting, coercing, and preying on young girls through social media to gain their trust and elicit inappropriate behavior is cold and callous. This sentence underscores the commitment of not only the FBI, but also our federal, state, and local partners who will ensure a full and thorough investigation that leads to taking predators like Glover offline and out of our neighborhoods. The FBI will continue to work collaboratively to combine resources and share expertise to identify those who commit these appalling crimes and find justice for the victims.”
Federal investigators discovered about 100 files containing CSAM on Glover’s digital devices. Glover admitted he received such images or videos from more than 90 different minors.
The case was investigated by the FBI Cleveland Division with prosecution led by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer King.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a national effort led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices aimed at combating child sexual exploitation online through coordination among federal, state, and local agencies. More information can be found at Justice.gov/PSC.
Reports about child exploitation can be made at cybertipline.org or by calling 1-800-843-5678 at any time.
