A 14-year-old boy was arrested after discussing plans to carry out a mass shooting at a church near his home and sharing violent messages in an online extremist chat, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said this week. Deputies searched the residence on Jan. 31 and took the teen into custody; investigators found firearms in the house and electronic devices now undergoing forensic review.
The case drew swift attention because of the suspect’s age, the religious target and the alleged ties to a violent, neo-Nazi–aligned satanic hate network discussed in the chatroom. Sheriff Chad Chronister said deputies began looking at the teen days earlier through a parallel child-exploitation probe tied to the home’s internet address. By midweek, the sheriff announced terrorism-related charges and separate counts involving graphic child sexual abuse images. While authorities did not name a specific church, patrols increased around two congregations near the teen’s neighborhood. Prosecutors will decide whether to seek adult charges after the juvenile process moves through initial hearings.
According to a timeline outlined by the sheriff’s office, detectives first connected the home to a child-pornography investigation on Jan. 27 and obtained authority to examine devices. During that review, they were alerted by a terrorism task force tip that the same teen had discussed a church attack in a chatroom used by violent extremists. Deputies arrested the boy on Jan. 31 following interviews at the family’s Wimauma residence. Inside, investigators documented one unsecured handgun in a nightstand belonging to the father and other weapons locked in a safe, according to the sheriff. Officials said the teen had posted images and slogans online, including a shirt with “No Lives Matter,” and appeared “unbothered” when questioned. “Don’t let his age diminish the seriousness,” Chronister said in announcing the case. The teen is being held in juvenile detention as the investigation continues.
Authorities said the initial charges include making a written or electronic threat to conduct a mass shooting or act of terrorism; fourteen counts tied to solicitation or possession of child pornography involving 10 or more images; in-state transmission of child pornography; and unlawful use of a two-way communications device. Detectives collected at least 14 images during the exploitation probe and seized phones, computers and storage media for lab analysis. Officials emphasized that the church was not publicly identified and that no specific date for an attack was detailed in the material reviewed so far. Deputies said two churches in the area are receiving additional patrols “out of an abundance of caution” while interviews continue. No other suspects were announced. The sheriff’s office said more charges are possible depending on what forensic analysts recover from the devices.
Context from prior incidents in Florida and elsewhere shows that extremist online spaces have been cited in recent threat cases, especially threads where users share manifestos, images and violent rhetoric. Investigators said the chat tied to this case is associated with a fringe neo-Nazi satanic ideology that glorifies violence. Chronister described the channel as a space “designed for violent extremists.” The sheriff added that the boy referenced nihilistic slogans and interacted with users who praised attacks. Officials said the teen referenced a church near his home but did not identify a particular congregation in the materials the public has seen. Deputies credited a terrorism task force partner and an Internet predator unit for quickly sharing information across cases, which prompted the arrest before any attack occurred.
Legal steps now pivot to juvenile court. The teen was booked into a 21-day detention hold, a standard window that allows probation officers to assess risk and judges to set conditions ahead of further hearings. Prosecutors with the state attorney’s office will review police reports, chat transcripts, device extractions and witness statements before deciding whether to seek adult charges. That call often turns on the severity of alleged conduct, prior record and a judge’s assessment of public safety. If charged as a juvenile, the case would proceed under confidentiality rules that limit what can be disclosed about hearings and outcomes. If transferred to adult court, more records and documents would become public and sentencing ranges could increase. Officials said they expect additional lab results from device examinations in the coming weeks.
Neighbors in the south Hillsborough community said they noticed extra patrol cars near two churches just off main neighborhood roads after the arrest. The sheriff’s office said the added presence is precautionary; there have been no further threats reported since the teen was taken into custody. A parent who lives nearby said officers have been visible around weekend services and youth events. Clergy leaders declined to comment on security specifics but confirmed they were in contact with deputies. At the family’s home, detectives carried out bags of evidence and photographed the garage and bedrooms during the search. The sheriff’s office said it will retain dispatch audio, interview recordings and forensic logs as part of the case file.
Officials reiterated several unknowns: which church, if any, the teen intended to target; whether anyone else in the chat directly encouraged a timeline; and how long the teen had participated in the channel. Detectives said the boy told them he was “trying to be edgy” in some posts, a claim investigators said does not change how threats are treated. The sheriff added that the teen’s statements will be compared with metadata and logins from seized devices to verify who sent which messages and when. The agency said it is coordinating with federal partners on any interstate communications and will seek preservation orders for accounts tied to the chat. Results from those requests could shape whether conspiracy or solicitation counts are added.
As of Thursday, the teen remained in juvenile custody while analysts examined electronics and compiled a fuller chronology of messages and files. The sheriff’s office said it would provide another update when lab reports return or if prosecutors make a determination on adult charges. Deputies said no additional arrests have been made and that patrols near the two nearby congregations will continue through the weekend. The churches have not been publicly identified, and investigators asked parish leaders to route any suspicious online messages to detectives working the case.
Author note: Last updated February 6, 2026.