Wisconsin Man Facing Sexual Exploitation Charges Might Have Met Illinois Teens
WAUKEGAN, Ill. (STMW) -- A Wisconsin man facing sexual exploitation charges might have communicated with Illinois teens online, according to the Lake County Sheriff's office.
Jason E. Wiese, 28, faces three felony counts of grooming and two misdemeanor counts of sexual exploitation of a child, according to a statement from the sheriff's office.
The sheriff's cybercrimes unit began an investigation and started communicating with Wiese as a 14-year-old girl, according to the statement.
Wiese allegedly began grooming who he believed was the teen, and engaged in numerous sexually explicit conversations with the "girl," according to the statement. He also sent numerous lewd images of himself and requested images of her in return.
Wiese was very active on the Paltalk Internet chat application, and frequented the "teens only" section, according to the statement.
He arrested on May 15 in Wisconsin, according to the statement.
During an interview, he said he has communicated with others online from Illinois, and has "been with a few girls" from Illinois.
Anyone who might recognize Wiese from his Paltalk photo is asked to contact Detective Chris Covelli at (847) 377-4145.
Wiese is scheduled to be arraigned on Aug. 6.
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2014. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)