ARLINGTON, VA - A former contractor with the FBI has been arrested for using social media to connect with minors for sexual purposes.
Arlington resident Brett Janes, 26 years old, was charged with several counts connected to his coercion of about a dozen minors to share sexual content with him over Discord and Snapchat. Janes even allegedly shared photos of his FBI badge with some of his victims.
He's also accused of purchasing "hundreds" of child pornography images and videos off of Telegram, although those do not appear to be part of the official charges against him yet.
According to federal authorities, Janes' charges thus far are as follows: two counts of sexual exploitation of children, two counts of production of child sexual abuse material, one count of attempted coercion and enticement, and one count of receipt of child pornography.
One of the charges came to light after the father of a 13-year-old victim contacted police after finding multiple inappropriate conversations between his son and Janes. Those conversations were had through a video game (called Valorant) and messaging platform Discord.
The boy told investigators that he'd had approximately 10 conversations with Janes, who manipulated the child with money and threats of self harm and suicide.
Janes went by the name Revision#3409 on Discord. Fox News obtained some of the conversations, which included Janes telling the child:
"[I] thought we we're friends actually but u unadding me and taking a random 100 bucks really showed me man.. [sic]," one message Janes sent to the victim through Discord reads.
"[I] hope you do well at your dads but if you ever need s--- im here but its still f---ed up that you took money while im hammered guess im happy that it happened sooner rather than later and im just going to kill myself cause no one likes me. [S]orry for bothering you though."
That young boy had attempted to block Janes on social media, but felt guilty after the above comments. The boy told police that he knew of several other children who had contact with Janes.
The arrest affidavit indicated that Janes manipulated multiple children into stripping for him on camera. He also engaged with sexually explicit conversations with the children.
The affidavit indicates one instance where Janes attempted to get a child to participate in BDSM with him, but the child did not understand what he was saying.
According to the complaint against Janes, the inappropriate contact was conducted between February and April of this year.
"He contacted nearly a dozen minor boys on the platform from February 20, 2023 to on or about April 20, 2023," the complaint reads.
"During some of these conversations, he enticed the minors to produce and send child pornography to him as well as engage in live video calls to see them naked. Three minors have been identified, one child forensic interview is scheduled for May 30, 2023 and the other child forensic interviews will be scheduled."
Janes reportedly asked one of the victims if the victim considered them to be "edating," or dating online. This came after the two had exchanged sexually explicit photographs. That child's age was not specified.
A 12-year-old boy was manipulated into complying with Janes' requests for sexual images by use of “flattery and repeated begging,” according to the arrest documents.
Janes spoke to a 14-year-old on Discord asking if the boy wanted to meet at Janes' residence. Reportedly, Janes offered the boy beer and asked him to meet at his house near the Pentagon City Metro stop in Arlington.
"When the minor said he was only 14 years old, Janes told him he started drinking at age 16, according to the messages obtained by law enforcement," Fox News reported.
The minimum sentence for Janes at this time is 15 years, with life in prison being a possibility.
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