A former Southwest Virginia youth pastor who allegedly prowled TikTok, Discord, Snapchat and other social media apps to solicit minor girls for sexual chats and images pled guilty last week to related federal charges.
Jacob Ryan Barnett, 34, of Catawba, pled guilty to one count of attempted sexual exploitation of a 15-year-old child.
Evidence at Barnett’s detention hearing earlier this year showed that he also solicited young men for selfies and images of their genitals, which he used to pose as a teenage boy when soliciting girls.
According to court documents, on May 18, 2025, Barnett used TikTok to message the juvenile, and they began chatting. That same day, Barnett gave the victim his phone number, and the two began texting.
The teen told Barnett she was 15; Barnett told her he was 17. As their chat progressed, Barnett sent increasingly graphic sexual messages to the victim. Barnett continued to engage in sexual conversations and repeatedly asked her for photos.
On May 20, 2025, Barnett told the teen that he was starting to develop feelings for her. He asked her to tell him about the last time she masturbated or to send him something that he could use to masturbate. In response, the victim sent Barnett a video of herself masturbating in which her genitals were uncovered, according to the Department of Justice.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the case.
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Crystal Graham
