Source: Office of United States Attorneys
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Jacob M. Rager, 21, of Columbus, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to sextorting at least two female victims and possessing child pornography.
According to court documents, in April 2023, one of Rager’s victims contacted the FBI National Threat Operations Center to report the distribution of nude photos of her at age 17. The female had communicated with Rager on Instagram and sent nude photos of herself to Rager on two occasions in February and November 2022, including once for a $15 payment.
In March 2023, Rager told the victim to send another nude photo of herself or he would send the prior photos of her to her friends. The victim did not comply, and Rager sent the nude images to a high school friend of the victim.
In October 2023, Rager sent messages to the victim via a TikTok account saying, “I have your nudes still. Reply unless you want me to expose you to everyone you know…”
During the course of their investigation, FBI agents became aware of a second victim whose nude images were also distributed to various individuals by Rager.
Rager sent the second victim a link on her Instagram account in October 2023 that connected to a mega site containing 70 folders. The folders were named after girls who attended Ohio University, including a folder of the victim. The images of videos of the females appeared to have been saved from the Snapchat account of each person.
Further, Rager created an Instagram account titled with the full name of the second victim and ending with the word “destruction.” He messaged the victim from this account saying, “i have your nudes still. unless you want me to show your friends, family and both your brothers i suggest you reply. im gonna make an example out of you if you don’t reply.”
Even after being contacted by the FBI and learning of the federal investigation pending against him, Rager continued to contact the second victim from various accounts on TikTok and Instagram.
When agents searched his cell phone, they discovered Rager possessed other child pornography of females ages approximately 10 to 15 years old. The images included minor females inserting objects like bottles and brushes into their vaginas.
Possessing child pornography is a federal crime punishable by up to 20 years in prison and using interstate communications to extort carries a potential maximum sentence of up to two years in prison. Congress sets minimum and maximum statutory sentences. Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors at a future hearing.
Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, and other members of the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force announced the guilty plea entered today before U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley. Assistant United States Attorney Emily Czerniejewski is representing the United States in this case.