LOUISVILLE, KY—In an unprecedented nationwide operation to protect our children and mark April’s National Child Abuse Prevention Month, the FBI announces Operation Restore Justice, a five-day, sweeping FBI initiative to identify, track, and arrest child sex predators across the country in coordination with all 55 of our FBI field offices.  

As part of this operation, the FBI Louisville Field Office obtained 10 federal indictments. Six subjects were arrested, three of whom were already in state custody will be transferred to federal authorities, and one subject remains outstanding. One of the indictments remains under seal. They include the following:

• Jason Back, 42, of Salyersville, Kentucky, was charged with online enticement of a minor.
• Jesus Chavez, 32, of Somerset, Kentucky, was charged with five counts of producing child pornography.
• Jordan A. Cobb, 33, of Salyersville, Kentucky, was charged with online enticement of a minor and cyberstalking of a minor.
• Austin Hawk, 25, of Pittsburg, Kentucky, was charged with transporting a minor across state lines with the intent to engage in sexual activity.­­
• Nathan Smith, 30, of Manchester, Kentucky, was charged with two counts of distribution of child pornography, one count of receiving child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography.
• Michael Moon, 47, of Annville, Kentucky, was charged with one count of receiving child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.
• Timothy Ray Dale, 63, of Paris, Kentucky, was charged with one count of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.
• Finley Wooton, 32, of Hyden, Kentucky, was charged with the attempted production of child pornography.

“I’d like to commend FBI Louisville’s Child Exploitation Human Trafficking Task Force on their dogged pursuit of perpetrators of child sexual abuse. While the FBI’s work to identify, investigate, and apprehend these predators never stops, our increased efforts over the last month during Operation Restore Justice resulted in removing some of our community’s most heinous criminals,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson of the FBI Louisville Field Office. “FBI Louisville, in lockstep with our law enforcement partners, will continue to use every available resource to protect America’s most vulnerable populations, especially our children.”

Last week alone, the FBI arrested 205 subjects and rescued 115 children across the country during the surge of resources deployed for Operation Restore Justice. The subjects arrested in this operation included those in positions of public trust—law enforcement, members of the military, and teachers. Others are your neighbors, proving that criminal activity can be found even in the most familiar places. They’re accused of various crimes, including the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material, online enticement and transportation of minors, and child sex trafficking. 

The FBI proactively identifies individuals involved in child sexual exploitation and the production of child sexual abuse material through our far-reaching, nationwide network of personnel and law enforcement partners. The Violent Crimes Against Children (VCAC) program provides a rapid, proactive, and comprehensive capacity to counter all threats of abuse against children. This capacity leverages partnerships within the FBI’s 89 Child Exploitation Human Trafficking Task Forces (CEHTTFs) across the country.   For more information about the crimes investigated by the FBI as well as the variety of resources we provide to protect and keep children safe, please visit:  

• Violent Crimes Against Children — FBI
• Parents, Caregivers, Teachers — FBI
• Welcome to sos.fbi.gov — FBI Safe Online Surfing (SOS)

As always, the FBI urges the public to remain vigilant and report any suspected crime against a child to 911 and local law enforcement immediately, as well as the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), online at tips.fbi.gov, or by contacting your local FBI field office.