A former youth pastor from Catawba, Virginia, has pleaded guilty to federal charges related to the attempted sexual exploitation of a minor. Jacob Ryan Barnett, 34, entered his plea this week after being in federal custody since August following his arrest for attempting to coerce and entice a minor.
Barnett admitted to one count of attempted sexual exploitation of a 15-year-old child. Authorities said that on May 18, 2025, Barnett contacted the victim through TikTok. After initial messages on the platform, he provided his phone number and began texting with the minor.
According to court documents, the victim informed Barnett early in their communication that she was 15 years old. Barnett responded by falsely claiming he was 17 and sent images of another young man as if they were his own. As their conversations continued, Barnett sent increasingly explicit messages and repeatedly requested photos from the victim.
On May 20, 2025, Barnett told the victim he was developing feelings for her and made sexually explicit requests. The victim then sent him a video of herself engaging in sexual activity.
Evidence presented at Barnett’s detention hearing indicated that he used various social media platforms—including TikTok, Discord, and Snapchat—to solicit underage girls for sexual conversations and images. He also sought selfies from young men which he used while posing as a teenage boy during these solicitations.
Acting United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci commented: “Cases involving adults who use the internet to exploit young people are all too common,” adding: “I urge parents to supervise their children’s internet use; vet their social media apps and caution them against answering unsolicited messages and friend requests. It’s disturbingly easy for predators to pose as children online. Barnett might have continued his online hunt for victims if the victim’s mother had not found the conversation between Barnett and the victim and reported it to the FBI.”
Ian Kauffmann, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division stated: “Our children deserve to grow up in a world where adults protect them, not victimize them. Sadly, Jacob Barnett chose to do the latter, and now he will face justice for his crimes.” He added: “The men and women of FBI Richmond will never stop pursuing these harmful predators and removing them from our communities.”
The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Drew O. Inman is prosecuting.
This prosecution falls under Project Safe Childhood—a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in 2006 designed to combat child exploitation using resources across federal, state, and local agencies.
