OCALA, Fla. — A 53-year-old Morriston veterinarian has been arrested on federal charges of transporting a minor across state lines for illegal sexual activity and sending threatening text messages to another victim.
Federal prosecutors allege that Gregory Ford transported two underage victims for the purpose of sex acts between October 16, 2024 and May 16, 2025. In a separate charge, authorities say Ford sent a text message on Sept. 23, 2025, containing a credible threat to harm a third victim.
Ford is charged with three counts of transporting a minor for the purpose of sexual activity. Each of these charges carries a minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison. He has also been charged with sending threatening communications, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
Federal authorities are also seeking to forfeit Ford’s Morriston home because it was used in connection with the crime, according to the indictment.
The case was announced by U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe. The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, including investigators from the Birmingham and Jacksonville divisions, with assistance from the Ocala Residential Bureau.
The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hannah Norwalk Watson, and the forfeiture process will be directed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole M. Andreyko.
Officials said the case was part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2006 to combat child exploitation and abuse. The program coordinates federal, state, and local resources to identify victims, apprehend offenders, and advance prosecution.
An indictment is a formal charge and is not evidence of guilt. Ford is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
