In an unprecedented nationwide operation to protect children, the FBI announced the results Wednesday of Operation Restore Justice, a five-day, sweeping FBI initiative to identify, track, and arrest child sex predators across the country, in coordination with all 55 FBI field offices.
As part of this operation, the FBI Louisville Field Office obtained a series of federal indictments. They include the following:
- Jason Back, 42, of Salyersville, was charged with online enticement of a minor.
- Jesus Chavez, 32, of Somerset, was charged with five counts of producing child pornography.
- Jordan A. Cobb, 33, of Salyersville, was charged with online enticement of a minor and cyberstalking of a minor.
- Austin Hawk, 25, of Pittsburg, was charged with transporting a minor across state lines with the intent to engage in sexual activity.
- Nathan Smith, 30, of Manchester, was charged with two counts of distribution of child pornography, one count of receiving child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography.
- Michael Moon, 47, of Annville, was charged with one count of receiving child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.
- Timothy Ray Dale, 63, of Paris, was charged with one count of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.
- Finley Wooton, 32, of Hyden, was charged with the attempted production of child pornography.
“I’d like to commend FBI Louisville’s Child Exploitation Human Trafficking Task Force on their dogged pursuit of perpetrators of child sexual abuse,” said Acting Special Agent in charge Olivia Olson of FBI Louisville Field Office. “While the FBI’s work to identify, investigate, and apprehend these predators never stops, our increased efforts over the last month during Operation Restore Justice resulted in removing some of our community’s most heinous criminals.”
The FBI urges the public to remain vigilant and report any suspect crime against a child to 911 and local law enforcement immediately, as well as the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), online at tips.fbi.gov or by contacting the FBI Louisville Field Office at (502) 263-6000.
By Tom Latek, Kentucky Today
