NC man gave teen boys weed, vapes and cell phones for sexual Snapchat photos, feds say
A 40-year-old man in North Carolina is accused of offering lavish gifts to teenage boys in Virginia who he met on Snapchat and Fortnite in exchange for sexually explicit photographs and videos.
Jason Kelly Inman, of Mt. Airy, pleaded guilty this week to sexual exploiting minor children, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia said Wednesday in a news release. Inman faces between 15 and 18 years in prison when he is sentenced in July.
“This defendant used the internet to prey on vulnerable victims, promising them expensive gifts and cash in order to facilitate this egregious behavior,” United States Attorney Daniel P. Bubar said. “An unfortunate side effect of living our lives increasingly online is the increased ability of bad actors to reach across the internet into the bedrooms of our children through messaging apps, social media, and other platforms.”
A defense attorney representing Inman did not immediately respond to McClatchy News’ request for comment.
Inman was arrested in March after an investigation was launched when school administrators in Grayson County, Virginia learned a student was given a cell phone by an older man, Mt. Airy news reported.
Court documents show a magistrate judge ordered Inman remain in jail while the case is pending, citing inpart the age of the victims and the fact that Inman allegedly offered one teenager $3,000 for sex. A federal judge subsequently denied Inman’s request for release pending sentencing after he pleaded guilty Monday.
Prosecutors filed a sealed criminal complaint against Inman on March 9 based on an affidavit by a special agent with the FBI.
According to the affidavit, Inman used Snapchat and Fortnite to contact the two boys — 14 and 16 — last summer. The FBI agent said he later met them at an ice cream shop called Tastee Freez in Galax, about 40 minutes from his home in Mt. Airy.
Between June and December, Inman reportedly gave the boys marijuana, alcohol, vape cartridges and money for nude pictures on Snapchat.
One of the boys told investigators Inman also dropped off an iPhone 11 Pro Max just before Christmas and asked for a sexual favor, according to the affidavit.
Inman delivered weed to another victim’s house house every weekend, the FBI agent said. When the teenager asked for more, Inman reportedly told him, “You have to give me something in return.”
Inman also asked the teenager for a sexual favor, according to the affidavit.
“I said no, so he offered to buy me Air Pods and a series 5 Apple Watch,” the boy reportedly told investigators.
The FBI agent said Inman later sent a photo of the watch and wrote, “The offer still stands.”
On at least one occasion, prosecutors said Inman met with a victim at a school bus stop. But they said there was “no evidence of actual physical contact between Inman and the victims.”
The boys were able to identify Inman when a school resource officer showed them a picture of his license, according to the affidavit. Investigators found 12 pictures and 11 videos of nude boys when they seized Inman’s cell phone.
Ky. man posed as a minor on Snapchat to get nude photos from underage girls, cops say
Internet tip leads feds, SC police to arrest Lancaster County man for child porn
Man posed as 16-year-old on TikTok, Snapchat to talk to teen girls, CA cops say
