Man gets record prison sentence for livestreaming sex abuse of PH kids

A man in Marion, North Carolina was sentenced to 55 years in federal prison for producing and possessing child pornography that victimized Filipino children.

Jacob Daylen Ross, 47, of Marion, was sentenced to 660 months in prison on Thursday, Jan. 20, 2022 by Chief U.S. District Judge Martin Reidinger.

Ross was convicted in March 2021 of five counts of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.

Judge Reidinger also ordered Ross to serve a lifetime under court supervision upon completion of his prison term. Ross is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons.

Jacob Daylen Ross was sentenced to 660 months in prison on Friday, Jan. 21, 2022 after he was convicted in March 2021 of five counts of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. (McDowell County Sheriff’s Office)

Court documents and trial evidence showed that Ross conducted online sexual exploitation of children by paying individuals abroad for livestream videos showing children being sexually abused.

Ross communicated via WhatsApp with a woman residing in the Philippines on multiple occasions and paid her to sexually abuse her young children while Ross watched a livestream video of the abuse.

A forensic analysis of Ross’s seized cell phone revealed that he possessed 28 images of child pornography, which were screenshots taken during a livestream video chat. More screenshot images of the livestreamed sexual abuse of children were found in Ross’ Google accounts.

“This sentence sends a strong message that HSI and our law enforcement partners are unified in our shared commitment to protect children here and abroad from predators such as Ross,” said Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in North Carolina.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.

For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing its online tip form.