KENT COUNTY, Mich. — A fifth suspect has been arrested in connection with an undercover police operation to catch people trying to contact children on the internet for sexual purposes.
Jack Draper Jr. was arraigned on multiple charges Monday after being taken into custody recently. The arrest was announced by the Kent County Sheriff's Office.
The 35-year-old face three counts: child sexually abusive material, accosting a minor, and using a computer to communicate with another to commit a crime. If convicted of all charges, he could face life in prison.
Draper is the latest suspect named in the sting. Justin Hastings, Samuel Durham, Thomas Ramsey, and Jason Burgess were all arraigned last week.
The joint effort by the Kent County Sheriff’s Office Human Trafficking Task Force and the FBI’s West Michigan-Based Child Exploitation Task Force had detectives and agents place ads on social media and mobile applications while posing as minors. Investigators say several men started communicating with the undercover accounts.
A sixth suspect is expected to be arrested and charged in the near future, according to the Sheriff's Office.
If you know someone who is being exploited or trafficked, contact the Kent County Sheriff's Office Human Trafficking Task Force at (616) 632-6125 or email tips to HTTF@kentcountymi.gov
Support for victims of child exploitation can be found through the Children's Advocacy Centers of Michigan.
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