Assistant U.S. Attorneys Janet Cabral (619) 546-8715 or Amanda Griffith (619)546-8970

NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – September 16, 2019

SAN DIEGO – Isaiah Smallwood Jackson, a former Navy military police officer, was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for sex crimes involving a 14-year-old girl.

Jackson was convicted by a federal jury in October 2018 of sexual exploitation of a minor and enticement of a minor. At the time of the offense in September of 2017, Jackson, 21, was on active duty with the U.S. Navy.

The jury found that Jackson created a profile on Spotafriend, a teens-only mobile application designed to allow teens to meet new friends. Because the terms of service for Spotafriend did not allow users over the age of 19 to create an account, Jackson created a user profile listing his name as “Logan” and listing his age as 17. In the description portion of the profile, however, he stated he was actually 21.

Using Spotafriend, Jackson began chatting with a 14-year-old girl from northern San Diego County. Early in their conversation, after making sure the victim knew he was 21, Jackson told the victim “is it bad that I don’t care about your age?” Jackson got the victim’s phone number and continued communicating with her through text messages. In one text Jackson asked the victim, “Okay cuteness, so are you ready to lose your virginity?” Jackson also enticed the victim to take explicit nude photos of herself to send to him.

Jackson got the victim’s home address and convinced her to permit him come to her home, telling her when she expressed that she was nervous, “Please I’m dying to see you” and “Take a leap of faith.” Once at the victim’s home, Jackson engaged in sexual acts with her, outside the home. Shortly after Jackson left, the victim reported the contact to her sister, who called the Oceanside Police Department.

Jackson was arrested by the Oceanside Police Department on September 21, 2017 and charged with state offenses relating to his sexual contact with the victim. At the time of his arrest, Jackson made a statement admitting he had communicated with the victim, and that he had gone to her house and engaged in sexual acts with her.

On October 25, 2017, Jackson was charged in federal court with use of a facility and means of interstate commerce to attempt to induce a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity. Thereafter, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Jackson with sexual exploitation of a minor and enticement of a minor. A federal jury convicted Jackson on all counts after trial.

At sentencing, the victim’s family talked about how the victim has been devastated as a result of the contact with Jackson and is now afraid to be out in public or around men. 

In imposing sentence, the Hon. Cynthia A. Bashant told Jackson that the Court “cannot ignore you engaged in clearly predatory conduct” by using a teens-only application to meet the victim and then continuing to communicate with the victim to convince her to let him come to her house.

Following his time in custody, Jackson will be on supervised release for a period of 10 years, during which he will be required to register as a sex offender, will be prohibited from initiating contact with minors or loitering in places primarily frequented by minors, and will be prohibited from accessing the internet except on devices where his use can be monitored by U.S. Probation Officers.

This case serves as a reminder for parents of the dangers posed by the internet, and the need for teenagers and their parents to maintain open lines of communication regarding online activity. Defendant’s abuse of a seemingly safe chat application for teens allowed Jackson access to this 14-year-old victim that he would not otherwise have had. From the time Jackson began chatting with the victim, until the time she reported the sexual contact to the police, just over 24 hours elapsed. Parents are urged to educate themselves and discuss these dangers with their children.

DEFENDANT                                               Criminal Case No. 18cr1805-BAS

Isaiah Smallwood Jackson                    Age: 23                     Vista, CA

SUMMARY OF CHARGE

Count 1 – Title 18, United States Code, Section 2251(a), Sexual Exploitation of a Minor

Count 2 – Title 18, United States Code, Section 2422(b) – Enticement of a Minor

Criminal forfeiture – Title 18, United States Code, Section 2243 and 2428

Maximum penalties:

Count 1 – 30 years in prison, with a minimum mandatory 15 years in prison

Count 2 – Life in prison, with a minimum mandatory 10 years in prison

As to all Counts, $250,000 fine

INVESTIGATING AGENCIES

Oceanside Police Department