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Orange County resident Jonathan Weiss, also known as "Ian_Jameson," of Middletown, has been charged with communicating with three different underage victims online and directing them to take sexually explicit images and send them to Weiss.
"Jonathan Weiss's alleged crimes are abhorrent and predatory," ," said Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York. "Using a common social media app, Weiss allegedly sexually exploited three 13-year-olds.
"We will continue to work with our partners at Homeland Security Investigations to vigorously investigate and prosecute defendants who prey on children."
According to the complaint filed Wednesday, June 10 in White Plains federal court and unsealed Thursday, June 11, in September 2019:
- Weiss communicated online via Snapchat with a 13-year-old minor and directed the victim to take and send sexually explicit photographs to Weiss.
- Weiss engaged in the same type of activity with another 13-year-old minor in August 2019 and a third 13-year-old minor in May 2020.
- During his communications with his victims, Weiss used the Snapchat screen name "Ian_Jameson" and posed as a minor. Weiss allegedly told the first victim that if she did not send more nude pictures to Weiss, he would send the pictures she had already sent to others.
- In response to the threats to send her pictures to others, she "blocked" "Ian_Jameson" on Snapchat. Shortly thereafter, people began telling her that they had received her nude images.
Weiss has been charged with three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, each carrying a minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison.
"Special thanks to the Putnam County Sheriff's Office, the Clay County Sheriff's Office in Orange Park, Florida, and the Longview Police Department in Longview, Texas, in connection with this investigation," Berman said.
The prosecution is being handled by the SDNY's White Plains Division. The charges in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This investigation is ongoing and there may be more victims of this alleged conduct. If you have information to report, contact Homeland Security Investigations through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2423 or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around-the-clock by investigators.
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