Putnam County Man Sentenced To Over 17 Years In Federal Prison For Receiving Child Sexual Abuse Videos

Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard today sentenced Jason Lloyd Sweat (41, Palatka) to 17 years and 6 months in federal prison for receiving visual depictions of a minor forced to engage in sexually explicit conduct. The court also ordered Sweat to serve a 15-year term of supervised release, to register as a sex offender, and to forfeit the cellphone he had used in the commission of the offense. Sweat had pleaded guilty on March 8, 2022, and has been detained since his arrest on January 14, 2022.

According to court documents, in September 2021, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) received information documenting the upload of nine files of child sexual abuse material over the internet. Further investigation led agents to an online account used by Sweat for which HSI obtained a federal search warrant. Upon a search of the account, agents found the reported files as well as multiple additional files depicting child sexual abuse.

Agents interviewed Sweat at the Putnam County jail, where he was serving a term of incarceration for nonpayment of child support. Sweat acknowledged that he viewed child sexual abuse files and claimed to do so as a “dope-infested curiosity.” Sweat said he downloaded the files from an online chatroom and had viewed them three to four times. The files showed the abuse of young children, including infants and toddlers.

At sentencing, the United States introduced evidence of Sweat engaged in sexual conduct with adults while discussing the sexual abuse of children. Sweat also viewed child sexual abuse material while engaged in sexual acts with adults.

“The vigilant efforts of technology providers and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children assisted in the identification and prosecution of this predator.  The uploading of child sexual abuse material continues the abuse of the innocent victims,” said HSI Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge K. Jim Phillips. “Thanks to our outstanding law enforcement partnership with the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, this predator will now pay for his deviant actions.” 

This case was investigated by the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelly S. Karase.

This is another case 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. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.