Source: US FBI
ROANOKE, Va. – A Catawba, Virginia man was arrested yesterday for his attempted coercion and enticement of a minor.
Jacob Ryan Barnett, 34, was arrested yesterday in North Carolina by FBI agents pursuant to a federal criminal complaint. He will make his initial court appearance early next week in U.S. District court in Roanoke.
“While the charges against Mr. Barnett are just allegations at this point, the facts presented do serve as a reminder for all parents to be aware of what their children are doing online,” United States Attorney C. Todd Gilbert said today. “Our kids occupy a world where those seeking to harm them have countless avenues, like TikTok, Discord, Snapchat and others, to reach across vast distances directly into their bedrooms. Please, monitor their online activity, talk to them about the dangers that are out there, and let them know how to report folks who try to exploit them online.”
“The heinous crimes Barnett is charged with are what keep parents up at night. Educating our kids and communities about the threats posed by faceless, online personas is crucial to maintaining their safety. Working with our partners, FBI Richmond will bring the full weight of the justice system on anyone who attempts to harm our children. The FBI will never stop searching for these predators and bringing justice for victims,” said Ann Busby, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division.
According to court records, the FBI received a tip that a then-unknown subject had attempted to groom a 15-year-old girl living in Michigan. Investigating agents discovered that on May 18, 2025, the victim first received a message from a TikTok account that appeared to belong to a teenaged boy who called himself “Jodie Johnson.” Johnson exchanged phone numbers with the victim, and through persistent messaging over the next few days, convinced her to send him a sexually explicit video of herself.
Agents were able to determine that “Jodie Johnson’s” TikTok account and phone number belonged to Barnett, an individual working in Catawba, Virginia who routinely interacted with young people. Phone records showed that Barnett was operating the number while talking to the Michigan victim.
Agents observed that Barnett’s TikTok account appeared to be following thousands of minor girls. They also uncovered that Barnett was using Discord and Snapchat accounts to solicit sexually explicit material from other children while posing as a teenager.
If convicted, Barnett faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum punishment of life. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney C. Todd Gilbert and Ann Busby, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division, made the announcement today.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the case.
Assistant United States Attorney Drew O. Inman is prosecuting the case for the United States.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.