A United States Navy servicemember was arrested in Virginia after Florida police discovered that his online conversations with two supposed minors warranted a criminal investigation. What the servicemember apparently didn’t know was that the people on the other end of those conversations were actually undercover detectives investigating online child exploitation.
According to the Stuart Police Department, detectives assigned to the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force began investigating Joshua Kubinski in July 2026. At the time, Kubinski was temporarily working in Key West, Florida, when he began communicating online with two Stuart Police detectives posing as minors.
During those conversations, Kubinski disclosed that he was serving in the United States Navy. Investigators subsequently confirmed his military status, bringing another federal law enforcement agency into the investigation.
The Stuart Police Department eventually worked with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) to obtain two arrest warrants containing multiple charges. Kubinski was arrested in Virginia on September 25, 2026, following the investigation that began several months earlier.
Undercover Detectives Pose as Minors During Online Investigation
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According to Stuart Police, the investigation began when Kubinski engaged in online conversations with two detectives assigned to the department’s ICAC Task Force. Both investigators were posing as minors, meaning the individuals communicating with Kubinski were law enforcement officers rather than actual children.
The department did not disclose the specific messages exchanged during those conversations or explain how investigators first encountered Kubinski online. However, detectives gathered enough evidence during the investigation to obtain two arrest warrants with assistance from NCIS.
The warrants included charges of transmission of harmful material to a minor, online solicitation of a minor, and unlawful use of a two-way communications device. Police did not specify how many individual counts were included in the warrants or provide further details about the evidence supporting each charge.
Navy Service Member Arrested
Kubinski was taken into custody in Virginia on September 25, although the Stuart Police Department did not identify the jurisdiction where the arrest occurred. The department also did not provide his age, military rank, assigned duty station, or any information about potential disciplinary proceedings within the Navy.
A search of Martin County inmate records did not turn up additional information concerning Kubinski or the charges associated with this investigation. As a result, details about his bond, detention status, and upcoming court appearances could not be established from those records.
The Stuart Police Department credited the cooperation between its ICAC detectives and NCIS for the investigation that ultimately resulted in Kubinski’s arrest. For now, the department’s announcement provides the principal details of the case, while additional information about the court proceedings and the Navy’s response has not been made available.