cuz again Snapchat was making it out like it was an iOS device. So seeing that you had that and the other one that you have on is a Samsung. >> I don't even know. I don't even know where the Samsung honestly. At first, this looks like a routine conversation at Jacob's workplace, but the detective is already doing something important. Before asking substantive questions, he makes sure Jacob understands his constitutional rights. That Miranda warning signals the conversation is about to move from casual questions into a serious criminal investigation. And the biggest question is still unanswered. Why exactly did investigators track this case back to this location? >> What's up? >> So, a little bit of a sensitive matter. Do you want to talk somewhere a little more private? >> Yeah, sure. What's up? >> Where you want to go? >> Right here is okay. >> Okay. Yeah, we can join in out of the shade a little bit out of the sun. So, uh, my name is Detective Warren Police Department. And you said you're Jacob Hall. Yes, sir. >> All right. Jacob, it's okay. I'd like to just get some basic information from you to start out with. >> Yes, sir. Zero, I think. I want to check really quick if you need. >> Oh, that's okay. You live there by yourself? >> I live with my mom. >> Okay. >> What's going on? >> Well, I wanted to kind of go over that with you a little bit. Um, so before we get too in depth, I wanted to make sure that you're aware of your rights and everything cuz I'm here at your work. Kind of called to jail or something. >> Didn't say anything about that. So, I just kind of want to go over things with you real quick. >> You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to talk to a lawyer and have them present with you while you're being questioned. If you cannot afford to hire a lawyer, one will be appointed to represent you before any questions you wish. You can decide at any time to exercise these rights and not answer any questions or make any statements. >> Do you understand each of the rights as I explain to you? >> Yes, sir. >> You have these rights in mind. Is it okay if we keep talking? >> Yes, sir. >> Okay. Just understand that at any point in time while we're talking about this case, this report that I was working on, if you feel uncomfortable, you just let me know. You don't have to talk. Okay. All right. So, in reference to all of this, I kind of want to go a little bit further and ask you if you have any email addresses that you use commonly. >> Yeah, I do. >> What are those? >> Um, is it hot out? >> It's hot out here. I'm sweating all day long, man. >> I'm I've been out here for a few minutes and I'm starving myself. >> Any idea why we might be here? >> No, sir. >> Okay. So, Jacob, um, I kind of wanted to go over a couple things with you in reference to some social media applications. Uh, one of which that that we got some information about. >> Do you use or have knowledge about Facebook? >> Yes, I do use Facebook. >> Okay. Do you uh what's your username for Facebook or your your account name? >> I I don't know. I just I just know it's my name. I think it's my name. That's it for Facebook. >> Do you uh do you use or have access to >> your phone? >> Yeah, I don't have Snapchat though. >> Facebook? >> Yeah, I do have Facebook. >> You're welcome. We'll look at your username on your phone if you want. I think it's just >> Did you previously have Snapchat or anything on your phone? >> I did at one point. Yeah. >> So, what were some of the Snapchat games that you had? >> I don't know. I just stopped helping people on there. >> Lost interest. >> I mean, I I used it less and less as I as I mean, as I finished high school, I kept my friends on there. Didn't really have as many friends on there. >> And you're 20 now, right? >> Yeah. >> Did you ever have your account shut off by Snapchat? I did at one point. Yeah. When I when I tried to >> I don't I don't know exactly when it happened cuz it was when I retrieded to redown I tried to reddownload it >> to go to go back on there and it said my child my my my account been locked for like child exploitation. >> About when was that? >> It's like a month or two ago. >> Not not that I know of. I don't know >> cuz those were all three together linked under your uh your account under Snapchat. >> Maybe maybe an account a girlfriend made a long time ago with my name or something, but I have no idea. I don't I don't remember. I never made an account. >> So, one of the things that kind of led us here, you know, to your Is this your grandfather's place? >> Yes. >> Okay. So, grandpa owns his place. >> Yeah. >> So, the picture that was uploaded Yeah. The IP address that was used to access the internet where the picture and the file video was uploaded came back to this address vault 19 where we're at right now which means basically that you're on the Wi-Fi. >> The person the account was here >> from Taylor you said. >> So I have a Taylor_alli20. All those usernames are all associated with the Snapchat account. >> So when you create an account you can change your names a couple of times. So you know that. >> So they were all associated with that. The kicker for us is that when one of the files was sent up, uploaded on and sent to someone else on Snapchat, it was done here >> at this address. >> That's cuz that's how we >> Does anybody else at this address have access to your Snapchat account? >> Shoot, man. I I honestly don't I haven't used Snapchat in in months, not even here. You can I mean >> Well, you know why your account got closed? >> Yeah, I know. That's why I was surprised. That was a surprise to me. I looked it up. I Googled it 10 times. I'm like, why on earth? >> So, this is this is in July >> post for this. >> So, we're in September now. So, it's been a few months. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> I figured I just forgotten about it. I was going to make a new Snapchat. >> I really don't talk to anybody on there. I just looking for a few friends and it's got pictures all the way back through high school and stuff on it. >> Cuz I see your iPhone's in your pocket. Is anybody else using your phone or does it stay on you? >> I know mine stays on my pocket. >> It stays on me. I had another phone here for a while. I had >> I don't think grandpa's using your tax. >> No, no, no, no, not at all. I had I had another phone that I carried for a while when I was getting this one worked on. I had >> other than your face ID. What typically is your passcode that you punch in to enter? >> That's my last name. >> Your last name. >> Does anybody else know that? >> I don't know. But the other phone, the only thing I can think of is in like May through like mid August, I had another phone because this phone was having problems. I still can't hear out of the top speaker. >> More about when your account closed, right? >> July 15 from here. >> I have no idea. >> Again, we go with all the information that we're getting from Snapchat. >> We're not really here, Jacob, trying to figure out it happened. It's more of a why it happened. >> Yeah, I know. >> Right. Your your account obviously got closed for doing some illegal things on Snapchat. Okay. >> I just >> That account got closed. That activity happened when you were here at work. No one else is using your phone. Your phone's locked and some things were sent. >> I never sent I never sent anything here. >> Let's talk about what we're talking about on Snapchat with other people and the stuff we're talking about that might have got our account. Let's just be honest about it. We're all big boys here. >> All right. I think you know exactly why we're here and it's embarrassing to say it. Yeah, it was embarrassing, but I mean, >> so what what happened on Snapchat where your account probably got closed? What were you talking about >> with other people? that video. I I recognize I do recognize cuz I think the girl I was talking to at the time had sent it and I I said and I resent it later or something like and I >> but we were already she was just she was she had sent to me and I I asked I recently asked her about it cuz she had she had told me about >> you know how many videos she sent to you? It was like I just >> And was that phone that you have here? >> No, it's not for this phone. It's to the >> Let's have an honest conversation about the things you and her talk about. >> Yeah, I mean >> I know I know you're we're getting there. It's just uh >> it's embarrassing. >> It was it was it was it started out normal, but she was like she told me about like these these family experiences with her dad and stuff like that. Like >> she used to enjoy doing >> Can you elaborate a little more? like she used she said like, "Oh yeah, I grew up. I did stuff for my dad and she had all these weird." >> Let's talk about the actual things. >> And you were doing things for your cousin when you were younger. >> Yeah. Which >> is that true? >> Not really. I mean, there was, you know, a little extent, but not really. So during that same shed, just shortly after you admitting you had done things to your cousin, you guys start talking about, you know, I basically I read the check. >> Yeah. >> And you're telling her we should have a child together. >> You remember that conversation? >> What you said? >> Yeah, I do. >> And in that chat, you guys are talking and >> basically, now granted, it was like playing a game of tennis. You guys both are going back and forth just as guilty. But she's talking about training and grooming a child. >> But at the time it's at the time >> she was so she was such a pretty girl, man. She was >> And is this on a different device? You said >> no. And I I I stopped talking to her because I was like I got I got I was like this is [ __ ] disgusting. This is not for me. That's >> So that's all you >> Was it on that phone, Jacob? No, it wasn't. >> There's no Snapchat or No. >> So, where's the other phone? >> It's at my mom's or my dad's house right now, but there's no Snapchat on there anymore. >> What iPhone is that? >> It's not an iPhone. It's an old Samsung. >> This Oh, this is an iPhone 12 or something. >> Do you have any of those videos still anywhere? >> The interesting thing, Jake, is that the information that I got back from Snapchat basically indicated it was like an iPhone 12 or 13, not a Samsung. Well, that's the phone. That's the phone that Snapchat was originally on, but I think those messages were on like a Galaxy A something. >> So, here's the thing, Jacob. We do this a lot and Snapchat logs when you log on with a device. They they they record that for us. >> Yeah. >> So, if he's saying the chats were on an iPhone, I've got to kind of delete my partner. >> Yeah, of course. >> Maybe there's some confusion there. >> Maybe there maybe it was, but I don't I don't remember ever doing that on my iPhone. I don't feel like I remember >> and you've been super coopy with us and I appreciate that. But obviously he and I both take great extensive time but try to validate everything the best that we can because we know when we make this appearance >> it's lifechanging >> and we want to make sure our >> our eyes are dotted, our tees are crossed when we come here today to talk to you or whomever else we may talk to. >> How many of those videos with child pornography in them do you think you present? That's like the only person. >> Okay. But how many times do you think you sent the video or moved it and moved it? >> I never I never moved it around or did anything. >> Sending is so >> How many How many videos did you send? >> I know Foxrox. I'm curious about you. >> This wasn't even anything that I had. It was stuff that I went to go find to go try and find to show her. It's like he said before, I don't care in my living room. >> Where did you go find him? >> You said you went to go find him and show >> Yeah. on like Reddit or something like that. >> So you So you went out to see files and then her >> I didn't I don't I didn't try to go in the dark. I just went on Reddit. I went on >> It's out there. >> She went by a username Cheyenne if I'm recalling it correctly. Do you remember her talking to her? You guys talked a lot. >> Yeah, we did. Hundreds of messages. We did talk for a while. Yeah. >> One of those times you were telling her that you were 17 and she says she's 16. >> Yeah. >> So, after she tells you she's 16, you then send quite a few pictures of your penis masturbating to her. Any reason why? I mean, you're talking about >> Am I going to jail today? >> Do you think you should? I don't think I deserve to. >> What? >> I just It was a mistake. I can >> You guys were talking about how you should have a child together to sexually abuse. >> You should never ever do anything like that. >> You sought out on the internet to find child pornography to send this girl after she sent you files. >> It was all for this girl. It was all for her. >> Have you ever met her in person? >> Never. That was like the day I met her. >> So, God forbid that you ever did meet somebody in person. What would you do then? >> I would never meet her ever. >> And it's ter it's terri I blocked her that day because it >> but the un you got to see the way I do it is there's a trend here. You know you're you're texting Cheyenne in addition to multiple other girls and you're telling Cheyenne that you're you're 17. You're admitting these are older pictures. So, Jacob is sending younger self to these girls making them think, >> "Can I see those pictures and see when they're from?" >> I mean, you're the one saying that they look older or they look like an older picture of you when you would >> I guess that's a few months back cuz that's that's a new picture on the background. >> Yeah. >> It's not too old. >> This is when I got a haircut or something. I don't So, like if you kind of look at it from my point of view in an investigation like this, from kind of trying to determine the psychological side to her, you send videos of yourself masturbating to her. >> Yes, sir. >> Poor mom and dad don't know what she's doing. You're giving her very lewd sexual directions about what you want her to do to herself. >> And then we move forward about a week or two, and that's when you guys are talking to someone else about we should have a baby. do that. >> Do you see how this looks though? And when I ask you like, "What do you think?" And you're like, "Well, I don't think I should go to jail." >> I I I see. And I just It's funny. I don't I don't I really don't want to go to jail for this. I don't. >> Right. But do you see yourself when you're online and how you're you're misrepresenting yourself or misrepresenting your age or >> I do see what I did. >> For what? >> Like just to talk to somebody online. It was just out of love in this. >> I mean, God forbid if this girl had given you her address, which she may have. I didn't see it. I know she gave you her phone number, >> but I don't even want I don't never even wanted to meet her. I don't want I just want somebody wanted somebody to talk to. to eat that, Jacob. Cuz every time I read your text messages, if some poor little girl gives you a little hint of liking you and there's a chance that you could have sex with her, I think you're hopping on a Greyhound bus tonight. So, get up there to meet her. >> You know, like >> I've never gone up >> the child pornography, possession of it. You have to possess it to send it. >> Possession's a crime. Transmission's a crime. You sent four. You had four files you possessed that I know of and then you had four that you sent. >> So we're at eight felonies right there. >> Eight felonies. >> Four and four is eight. Four possession or transmission. >> Oh my god. >> And I'm not done. >> Oh my god. >> Because I now have to go and identify this 16-year-old girl >> cuz there state statutes that pretty much tell us victim notification. >> So am I just in prison? Is that what does that mean? I don't >> I don't make those decisions. I investigate the case the way it comes in. >> The end result is up to everything else. Okay. That's up to everything else. >> Oh my god. >> Do you have anything else that you need to tell us today to kind of come clean about anything? >> I just I want to call my mom or my dad or somebody >> right now. I want you to turn around for me. All right. We can let you make a phone call. >> Oh my god. >> Is my life over? >> No, man. It's a nonviolent crime. I arrested another guy this morning for something. >> It's something you'll have to work through. It's not going to get solved. And >> felonies. >> It's not all like going to show up. All eight. >> I don't I don't know what the future holds for you to be honest. You know, it's it's not a >> Jacob. Everything is about uh decisions that we make, you know, and you have those decisions when you're riding back. You have those decisions when you're saying you're 17. You know, all those things are are to you. Okay. >> Do you want to make a phone call? >> Hey, Mom. >> I'm I'm I'm going to go to jail, Mom. >> Mom, I'm going to jail. >> I had possession. Mom, >> where is Jacob? >> I'm at the car lot. >> Jacob, where are they here? What's happening? >> Yes, the police are here. Mom, I'm going to jail. >> Oh my god. Jacob, please. Please. I I talked to you about this. Jacob, are you okay, Jacob? >> I'm okay, Mom. I'm here. The police are standing right here. >> What did you have, Jacob? >> What did you have, honey? Mom, the girl I was talking to wasn't 18. >> You can be honest with her. What else did you have? >> Yeah, Jacob, that's not the issue. >> It was It was child porn. >> Jacob. Jacob. Jacob, I'm coming. >> Mom, I I don't know where you're going to cut. Where do you want Where do you want her to come to? >> You want me to talk to your mom and kind of fill her in on where to go and how to get in touch with you? >> She's on speaker. >> She's on speaker. >> What's your mom's name? Candace. >> Candace, >> can I talk to her? Is that okay, please? >> Okay. Is there any way you can a little bit? >> I'm going to turn your hands around. >> You're going to put them on the palm. We're going to do one at a time. Yep. That's where we'll be off. So, do you want me to tell her what happened? Explain that. Can you come away from them? Away from them. They kind of have an idea, I think. But, uh, do you want me to explain to mom exactly what happened? >> So, uh, >> I think she'll in custody for us. And can you transport? We're actually going to be at a a different background. >> Did my partner explain everything to you? >> Uh pretty much [snorts] >> some things. He said he done some things on the internet. >> Yeah. U your internet. Um >> yeah, I didn't even know you can use my internet. >> Yeah. So, um the IP address when the initial investigation began like back here. >> I was asking him. I'm like, how did they even know he was around here and everything? That's why >> I mean honestly I thought he worked at Lowe's because I saw his car parked up there all the time. >> Yeah. >> Um but we got a search warrant for his Snapchat account. I was reading messages and he was referring to the fact, you know, that you own this uh shop the car sales that he had just gotten the ability to purchase the van. You just given purchasing ability. >> He's a step child. >> Yeah. >> He said that to who? >> Just some girl he was texting to the 16-year-old. Now investigators are speaking with Jacob's mother and the investigation becomes much clearer from her perspective. The detectives explain how an online report can be traced through account information and internet records before reaching the local agency responsible for investigating it. Importantly, the officers are still describing an ongoing investigation, meaning they are continuing to identify people, devices, messages, and other evidence. For Jacob, the arrest may be happening now, but for investigators, the case is clearly nowhere near finished. >> That thing with that guy on TV, where did they come in? What was that guy's name? The reporter >> comes into the houses. And >> yeah, but those were people engaging in chats, pretending to be kids. These are real kids. Yeah. >> Um, not to mention again the other videos that he went out, sought them, obtained them, and then sent to somebody else, which are the child pornography files. So, um, >> it's going to crush. >> It's an ongoing investigation obviously cuz now we have more stuff to figure out and who this other girl is and identify her. But that's kind of the synopsis right now. You know, probably connects to Wi-Fi. I always worried about him getting into my go >> anything. Goes to his bathroom like five times a day. And we're like, you know, nobody goes to the bathroom that much and he's in there for 10 15 minutes, >> right? >> And you know, >> Yeah. He claims he doesn't have uh Snapchat on his phone anymore. Um I don't know. I mean, he admitted that his account got blocked and he admitted that he was told it was for child exploitation. Um, this all took place back in July. So, we're looking around July 15th. Uh, there was another day he came in here about a month and a half ago. He was real distraught. He was walking around here like a, [snorts] you know, on the phone, on the phone, on the phone. On the phone. He's just nervous walking up about a few months ago. July. >> Oh, yeah. That would have been about that time. Cuz uh, typically they do, they shut the account down, they block it, and um, then they notify us. >> So, So that that could have been that day. >> I feel like probably >> Did you pull me over? [laughter] >> It's been a while since I I would have done that. But >> I think you pulled me over some tag or something. >> He didn't do it. He doesn't work. >> I live in traffic a whole lot. >> Oh, okay. >> I definitely seen you somewhere. Well, at least it's somewhat out in the gym or anything. You used to work out. >> At least it's somewhat of a good experience. And it's not like >> you are a jerk. You hear what the nice guy asked you said, "Do you work out at the gym?" >> Well, he knows everybody from >> We all know the answer. He is. >> He's thinking I was just sitting there at the gym. [laughter] >> Oh, you were working the desk? >> Yes. Yes. Just sitting there. >> Um, we we talked to mom cuz uh he wanted to call her. So, uh, we put her on speaker phone and called her. >> She's got to be level. She's going through it with the worst thing as well. >> Yeah. Yeah. One more thing. >> Yeah. He's been in trouble all the time for everything. >> He just can't straighten. >> We thought he was doing pretty damn good cuz he's been working here for like a year, you know, from the stealing part of Tennessee at some Target store up there trying to figure >> Yeah, I saw that. >> You saw it. >> Yeah. >> Who lives in Tennessee? That's why he's there. >> They moved up there. The mom and the dad and everything. They they lived up there and they were there for about 6 months and she hated it up there and then they came back here and they wound up getting divorced. >> I'm from there so >> I had a place up here too. >> To hear that they hated it. I'm like >> you mean you want to come back to the traffic and all the crowds like >> she didn't like it. He's from uh Knoxville area so he was fine with it up there. He didn't want to come back but man oh man that kid. >> Yeah. And as we were talking, like it's not just a one-off thing, you know, when you're talking and texting the way you are with these girls and trying to come off with a younger age. >> And now we got you sending videos and it's just an addition of things, you know, kind of a >> he knows better. He knows. >> Yeah. >> You said July stuff happened on his account got blocked or something. So, the way these things work is uh like my partner and I basically our full-time job is investigating internet crimes against children, cyber crimes. So, social media applications, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Kick, Dropbox, any of these threat things online. If you violate the terms of service, which means you commit a crime, such as uploading a file of child pornography, um then that company is required by law because they operate on the internet to alert your record. >> So they then make a report, they send it to the National Center for Missing Exploited Children, which is in Virginia. They then say, "Okay, well, where's this person located?" And then that report kind of filters down and they go off IP addresses typically to where they try to identify what agency do we need to send this to. >> They got this thing down >> pretty good. >> Yeah. So, you know, and then that's when they kind of figure out, okay, well, this IP address is coming back at this location or they'll look at the person, you know, what's their phone number? What's their name? They have people that do their research as well up there to prepare the originally got sent to Penelis Park and then they saw the Sierra Circle address. They said, "Well, no, he's in Largo." They kicked it over to us and we kind of picked it up from there as far as investigation goes. >> Yeah. I was wondering I asked him I'm like how in the heck did they know he was here? We sitting there trying to figure it out and it's over this. He was hooked into our Wi-Fi. >> Yeah, that's how we knew that he sent it. Uh like I said, I knew from the chats that he did work here. I just didn't know how much. >> But that's how >> what are we going to do with his car? >> That's up to you guys. Uh >> I don't keep the keys here. >> Yeah, he has keys. We'll leave everything. >> Yeah, we leave the keys out by his mom. or something. >> Yeah, we'll leave them there for you and you can get those. >> All right. >> All right, guys. >> All right. I appreciate the info. Thanks. >> Cuz again, Snapchat was making it out like it was an iOS device. So, seeing that you have that and the other one that you're talking about is a Samsung. >> I don't even know if this I don't even know where the Samsung's at, honestly. >> Yeah. I mean at least we switch to the iPhone like Samsung. So person >> what person >> you'll find I'm still talking to that girl Cheyenne. I was >> Oh yeah. >> But I mean you'll find text with her. It's about it. I think I'm sorry. It's chat I think or something like that. Chats chat chat means or something. I don't know. >> Would you be willing to provide consent for us to search your your phone and go through everything? >> But I mean, what is what's the difference? >> The difference is I get a search form as opposed to you signing a form saying I'm giving art consent to search my device. >> Yeah. >> So, that's pretty much the only difference. And I I don't I really don't know what to answer, what not to answer. >> You can take a minute until transport gets here and and make a decision. >> Okay. >> If so, I have a form. I'll have you sign it if you're giving us a consent >> and that's kind of that. >> All right. Just a give you consent, you're going to go out of the way. >> If you don't give me consent, then I will try to I will obtain a search warrant or I will seek one out. Let's just say that. and I'll go before a judge and if the judge feels that I have enough probable cause for the search warrant, then I'll hide that one, I guess. So, again, it's it's primarily for me it's it's to try to make sure there's not any additional files there. Um, any other inappropriate chats or pictures someone else? I just need something to wipe my face on. Cloth on the armrest. It's kind of dirty. Got something running down my face. >> Well, if you want, you can walk out here and hop in my car for a minute. Yeah.