A 23-year-old Christiansburg man will serve 15 years in prison after being sentenced to aggravated sexual battery of a minor.
Jason James Shepherd was arrested last year after the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that Shepherd was engaged in receiving and sending child sexual abuse materials with other users on the popular communication app, Kik.
In addition, Shepherd was also charged with 10 counts of possession of child sexual abuse material and three counts of reproduction of Child Sexual Abuse Material.
In March, a search warrant was subsequently executed at Shepherd’s residence in Christiansburg, where electronic devices were seized.
The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office would like to acknowledge the assistance provided by the Christiansburg Police Department, Radford City Police Department, the Children’s Advocacy Center, Montgomery County Department of Social Services, the Montgomery County Commonwealth Attorney’s Office, and the Western Virginia Regional Jail for their dedication to seeking justice in this matter.
If you believe you or someone you know is a victim of sexual exploitation, cyber tips can be reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at https://report.cybertip.org or by calling 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or contact the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.
