NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Caleb D. Jordan, 19, of Mount Juliet, Tennessee, was charged Saturday with attempted production of child pornography and transportation of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Don Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee. Jordan was arrested by federal and state law enforcement agents after a foot pursuit which began when agents arrived at his home with a federal arrest warrant.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners are working hard every day to combat the epidemic of online child exploitation,” said U.S. Attorney Cochran. “With the COVID-19 pandemic and summer approaching, our children have amplified opportunity to be online and sexual predators are keenly aware of that. We implore parents to pay attention and take precautions to ensure children practice safe Internet habits.”
According to documents filed with the Court, between October 2019 and April 2020, Jordan used Instagram and other platforms to post photos and videos depicting sexual acts between minor boys and to entice minors to send sexually explicit photos and videos to him. Jordan was a member of an online group that was dedicated to child pornography depicting pre-pubescent boys and he gave money and gift cards to solicit sexually explicit videos from minor boys.
Investigative developments last week indicated that Jordan’s online activity involved the active and ongoing solicitation of minors. The early stages of this investigation has determined that there are at least 11 minor boys associated with this case who have been identified as victims or potential victims, some of whom have not yet been identified. In addition to local victims, others are believed to be located in other states, including Pennsylvania.
A preliminary examination of some of the devices that Jordan possessed revealed that he was in possession of thousands of images and videos of child pornography.
