2 weeks Ago
A Columbus man accused of attempting to send obscene material to a minor during an undercover investigation recently admitted to a charge, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
The defendant, Jacob Curtis Wyckoff, 25, pleaded guilty to an information charging him with attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor. Wyckoff faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. U.
S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided.
A sentencing date will be set before U.S. District Judge Susan P.
Watters. Wyckoff was released pending further proceedings. The government alleged that in January 2023, law enforcement in the Billings area set up an undercover operation relating to those with a sexual interest in children.
The undercover persona was that of a 14-year-old female. The undercover posed on a social media site and on Jan. 26, 2023, Wyckoff reached out on the messaging platform KIK, using the profile name of “Jake Smith.
” The undercover made Wyckoff aware in communications that she was “almost 15.” In communications between the two from January 2023 to July 14, 2023, discussions became increasingly sexual in nature. On multiple occasions, Wyckoff expressed a desire to meet the “child” for a sexual encounter.
On July 6, 2023, Wyckoff sent the undercover a picture of his allegedly erect penis in his jeans and made sexually suggestive comments. The U.S.
Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI, Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office, Laurel Police Department, and Montana Division of Criminal Investigations conducted the investigation. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC . Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email.
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