A Reno man has been sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to 8 charges involving the production and possession of Child Sexual Abuse Materials (CSAM). Seven charges involved secretly recording young girls while nude. The eighth charge involved the possession of CSAM depicting children as young as 8 years old.
40-year-old Jason Dobbs (dob 10/3/84) was arrested in 2021, after detectives with the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force investigated concerns that Dobbs may have been secretly recording children in his home. Following an extensive digital forensic investigation, detectives learned Dobbs spent years secretly recording his victims, to include using a hidden shower camera and exposing the children while they slept. The images recovered largely involved 3 children spanning 8 to 14 years old. Dobbs used his special training as an IT professional to hide his activities and conceal the images he created and amassed over the years.
At sentencing, Deputy District Attorney Amanda Sage requested the maximum sentence for each charge, totaling life in prison with parole eligibility beginning after 42 years have been served. To support the request, DDA Sage argued that Dobbs presented an extreme danger to the community given his ability to manipulate those around him, his patience in targeting victims, and his training and skills in computer technologies. The Honorable Kathleen Drakulich presided and imposed the sentence.
The investigation and prosecution represented a joint effort between ICAC and the Washoe County District Attorney’s Child Advocacy Center (CAC). The ICAC Task Force, part of the Northern Nevada Cyber Center, is a collaborative effort between multiple local and federal agencies to combat the exploitation of children online and through the use of digital devices. Members with the Sparks Police Department took the lead in this case with assistance from the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office and the Nevada Attorney General’s Office.
Established in 2014, the CAC provides a child-friendly environment for child victims involved in the criminal justice system with the goal of minimizing trauma, providing advocacy, and supporting effective investigations and prosecutions.
A recording of the press release for media can be heard below. Mug shots can be found on the WCDA Facebook and Twitter accounts.
