Jacksonville man, arrested on similar charges, set for court appearance Monday

A 38-year-old Medford man was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison on Wednesday for using Snapchat and Kik Messenger, online social media and messaging platforms, to coerce and sexually exploit an Oregon child online.

In addition to serving a decade behind bars, Nicholas James Shaw will face a lifetime term of supervision upon his release and pay $66,000 in restitution to his victims.

According to court documents, in March 2022, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) received CyberTips from Snapchat and Kik Messenger regarding child sexual exploitation materials uploaded to their platforms between October 2021 and April 2022.

Investigators traced the accounts to Shaw and learned that for approximately eight months, Shaw had engaged in sexually explicit communications with a minor — a 14-year-old girl — online and coerced the victim into producing and sending him sexually explicit photos and videos. 

HSI agents executed a federal warrant on Shaw’s residence on June 28, 2022, seizing electronic devices containing child sexual abuse material. Shaw was arrested and charged the following day with criminal transportation, receipt, distribution possession, and access with intent to view child pornography.

On Jan. 21, 2025, Shaw pleaded guilty to coercion and enticement of a minor. As part of the plea agreement, Shaw agreed to pay restitution in full to his victims and forfeit criminally derived property used to facilitate his crimes. 

The case, investigated by HSI with assistance from the Medford Police Department, was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.

Federal law defines child pornography as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor. 

“It is important to remember child sexual abuse material depicts actual crimes being committed against children,” a news release said. “Not only do these images and videos document the victims’ exploitation and abuse, but when shared across the internet, re-victimize and re-traumatize the child victims each time their abuse is viewed.”

Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to contact HSI at 866-347-2423 or submit a tip online at report.cybertip.org.

 

Second ‘Snapchat case’ involves Jacksonville suspect

 

A Jacksonville man arrested March 26 and accused of luring a teenager on Snapchat will be in court on Monday facing charges of first-degree online sexual corruption of a child, two counts of second-degree online sexual corruption of a child and luring a minor.

Initially set for pre-trial conference this week, after a reschedule from May 12, Anthony Nicholas Wheeler, 39, was arrested while attempting to lure and sexually corrupt a local teenager via social media.

Wheeler, who waived his right to have his trial brought to court within 60 days of his arrest, was taken into custody after connecting with a local teenager via the “Quick Add “feature on the mobile messaging app Snapchat, according to a Jackson County Sheriff’s Office news release at the time.

The teen’s parents learned of the communications on March 22 and contacted detectives with the Southern Oregon Child Exploitation Team, who took over the child’s Snapchat account and set up a meeting between Wheeler and a SOCET detective posing as the teen.

Wheeler was apprehended in an operation involving JCSO, SOCET, Oregon State Police and the Medford Police Department at a location Wheeler believed to have set up with the teen.

Video of the arrest can be watched at vimeo.com/1070169864?share=copy#t=0. 

Wheeler can be heard on a video provided by JCSO, at the time of his arrest, saying, “Oh, I knew this was gonna happen.”

Wheel’s court appearance is set for 9 a.m. on Monday.

Reach reporter Buffy Pollock at 458-488-2029 or buffy.pollock@rv-times.com. Follow her on Twitter @orwritergal.