Brett Janes, a 26-year-old former contractor for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, is facing a series of charges related to the alleged sexual exploitation of children.
The indictment, handed down by a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Virginia, includes two counts of sexual exploitation of children and production of child sexual abuse material, one count of attempted coercion and enticement, and one count of receipt of child pornography.
The Department of Justice reports that Janes is believed to have contacted approximately a dozen young boys through social media platforms Discord and Snapchat, with the intention of pressuring them into sending him explicit content.
One of these alleged victims was reportedly introduced to Janes through the video game Valorant. The accused, a native of Arlington, Virginia, is said to have manipulated the minors by claiming to be an employee of a US intelligence agency and threatening to take his own life if they ceased communication with him.
In a particularly disturbing incident, Janes is accused of coercing a 13-year-old boy, whom he had met through a video game, into performing explicit acts over a live video call on Discord. This coercion was allegedly achieved through threats of suicide and financial incentives via CashApp.
Another 12-year-old boy was reportedly persuaded through flattery and persistent pleading to produce and send explicit material to Janes via Discord. Both boys, along with two others, complied with his demands. Janes is also accused of attempting to arrange an in-person meeting with a minor and of purchasing hundreds of images and videos depicting child sexual abuse.
If found guilty, Janes could face a minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, with a potential maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
The case is currently under investigation by the FBI and Arlington County Police. The prosecution will be led by Trial Attorney McKenzie Hightower of the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section. The charges were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 with the aim of combating the widespread issue of child sexual exploitation and abuse.
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