- NEWS RELEASE -

Date: January 19, 2006

Subject: Internet predator with camera put away

A man who took wine coolers, a condom, and a video camera to what he believed was the home of a girl he met on the Internet has been sentenced to five years in prison. David R. Jackson, 35, of Raytown, received the sentence in Platte County Circuit Court January 19 after pleading guilty to child enticement.

Platte County Prosecutor Eric Zahnd said, “This case proves the danger children face from Internet predators. This man went to what he though to be the home of a young girl with wine coolers, a condom, and a camera. I believe he intended to get his victim drunk, sexually molest her, and produce child pornography.”

During the plea and sentencing hearing, Jackson admitted he solicited a person he believed to be a 14-year-old girl for sex over the Internet. He was actually involved in an Internet chat with a detective in Platte County’s Cyber Crimes Unit who was posing as an underage girl.

According to Zahnd, on June 7, 2005, Jackson began an Internet chat with the detective, who was posing as a young girl. The chat became sexual and then continued the next day. Jackson asked whether the girl would perform a strip tease and other sexual acts that he could video tape.

Jackson arrived at an undercover location which he thought was the girl’s residence. He was arrested, and police found the alcohol, a condom, and a video camera when they searched him.

Jackson later told detectives he intended to videotape the girl taking off her clothes and engaging in sexual conduct with him.

Zahnd said, “If this defendant had been talking to a real girl, she would probably have ended up intoxicated and raped, while the defendant recorded the whole ordeal on videotape. Fortunately, he was actually talking to a detective, so we can make certain he is behind bars and cannot harm an innocent child.”

The case was investigated by detectives in Platte County’s Cyber Crimes Unit and was prosecuted by Myles Perry, who is the assistant prosecutor assigned to that unit.