Photo: Ford, Brad
A man has been taken into custody by Portland’s Special Emergency Reaction Team (SERT) after the conclusion of an exhaustive investigation by the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit. This unit is a partnership between the Portland Police Child Abuse Team and the Federal Bureau of Investigations.
On November 17, 2023, Portland’s Child Abuse Team (CAT), in partnership with the Federal Bureau of Investigations, arrested a child predator who is suspected of victimizing and attempting to victimize children across several states.
On September 9, 2023, Portland Police officers were dispatched to the call of a pre-teen girl who wanted to report agreeing to meet with an older male she met online. Detectives responded, and through the course of their investigation found conversations between the victim and suspect that were highly sexual in nature and included the exchange of photographs. Further information led detectives to believe the suspect was at least in his twenties.
As CAT Detectives continued their investigation, they received additional digital evidence through the Cyber Tipline of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that strengthened their case against the suspect. Detectives learned he was living out of his van, and with the assistance of the FBI were able to locate him.
Jakob Joshua Stickney, 25, is now in police custody as appropriate charges are being considered. He was arrested by SERT near the intersection of 99W and Bull Mountain Road, in Tigard. This case remains open as all crimes continue to be fully investigated. However, investigators made arresting Stickney their number one priority as they believe he was actively preying on and luring children online. Stickney has initially been charged with one count of Coercion and Enticement of a Minor, with additional charges expected.
So far, Portland’s Child Abuse Team has uncovered over 30 crime tips through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children associated to Stickney. Detectives have identified child victims as young as ten in the states of Washington, Missouri and Arkansas. PPB is working with federal and local law enforcement in those jurisdictions to investigate the crimes against those children.
Anyone who believes they have information about Stickney’s crimes committed over the internet or against children is asked to contact Detective Nathan Moore at nathan.moore@police.portlandoregon.gov and reference Case #23-237743.
The best defense against online child predators is education and awareness. To learn more about this issue, or to report what you believe to be online crimes of this nature, please visit the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at www.missingkids.org .
Source: Portland Police Bureau