Jason Wesley Ford
A Chattanooga postal worker has been charged by federal authorities with sexual exploitation of a child.
Jason Wesley Ford was arrested after TBI officers set up a sting operation in a North Chattanooga house and began monitoring websites like Meetme.com and Kik.com.
Prosecutor Terra Bay said they were looking for adults trying to contact teens for sexual purposes.
Ford, 38, of 5709 Taggert Dr. in Hixson, thought he was "chatting" with a 14-year-old girl, when it was with two TBI agents.
It was testified on Tuesday afternoon that Ford gave almost the same line to both "girls", including asking them to send him nude photos. He sent a photo of his penis as well as a photo of his penis and his face.
Dianne Bracken, a postal inspector, testified that Ford, who went by the moniker of "bullettothehead," asked for the nude pictures, saying he wanted to be sure it was "not the cops" he was dealing with. He said, "I don't want to go to jail."
Ford asked if the girls had a problem with the fact he was 38.
He advised that he had worked at an adult establishment and had access to "toys."
Ford chatted with one "girl": "Are you interested in having some fun?"
The probation office recommended that Ford be released from jail while his case is pending. However, prosecutor Terra Bay called him "a danger to the community."
Magistrate Chris Steger decided to allow Ford to live with a relative at Dunlap. Attorney Paul Bergmann said he would not have access to the Internet.
He was placed under a $30,000 bond and electronic monitoring and will have a curfew.