Federal court documents allege that a Clarkdale woman received online images of an infant being sexually assaulted and communicated her intention to molest a friend’s 3-year-old daughter.
Sarah Cox is charged in a criminal complaint filed Aug. 4 in U.S. District Court in Phoenix by a special agent with the Department of Homeland Security. The complaint lists three counts of knowingly receiving child pornography sent interstate via computer.
Cox could not be reached for comment, but Phoenix New Times quoted the 39-year-old woman as saying it was actually her 13-year-old daughter — using her mother’s screen name — who had been chatting online with the Colorado man who supplied the images.
Homeland Security’s investigation into the man, Richard Jason Hennis, of Colorado Springs, Colo., led to Cox, according to an affidavit filed with the complaint in U.S. District Court in Phoenix.
During a search of his home in January, Homeland Security agents found Hennis had corresponded via computer with a number of individuals in regard to sexual exploitation of children, according to the affidavit filed by Special Agent Christopher Shrable.
Among those was an exchange with “JadeJeckel,” a screen name for a user on the instant-messaging app Kik.
Hennis, 40, under the user name of “funguy4u2use,” allegedly sent three images to JadeJeckel depicting the sexual exploitation of a “prepubescent Caucasian female infant lying supine.”
In addition to Hennis, federal authorities are also prosecuting Brandi Leonard, 18, in connection with the case, New Times reported.
The Colorado woman allegedly told Hennis she’d abused a 1-year-old girl. He asked her to do it again and take photos, which she did, according to the government.
Over a two-week period from late November through early December, JadeJeckel and funguy4u2use carried on a conversation about sexual exploitation of children, according to Shrable’s affidavit.
On Nov. 29, JadeJeckel wrote: “I thought about getting my friend’s 3 yr old girl.”
A few minutes later, JadeJeckel added: “I’m going get the 3yr old.”
In response, funguy4u2use asked, “When?” JadeJeckel replied, “ASAP.”
Funguy4u2use then asked, “What are you going to do with her.”
JadeJeckel’s response, which the newspaper will not print because of its salacious nature, prompted funguy4u2use to write, “I’m so jealous.”
After investigators identified Hennis as “funguy4u2use,” they traced “JadeJeckel” through Kik to CenturyLink in Phoenix.
The internet service provider identified Sarah Cox, of Clarkdale, as the subscriber in question, according to the affidavit.
Shrable said he compared an image on file with the Arizona Department of Transportation with an image JadeJeckel had sent to funguy4u2use. “Multiple visible tattoos are consistent in both images to positively identify Kik user JadeJeckel as Sarah Cox,” he wrote.
Cox said to New Times, “Let them accuse me,” telling the newspaper she can prove her innocence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Ian Brooks, through an intermediary, refused to explain the legal process the case would follow.
However, according to the U.S. Department of Justice website, the next step would be for law enforcement to obtain an arrest warrant based on the complaint filed by Shrable.
His affidavit explains the crime committed, and is used to establish probable cause that the accused committed the crime.
The charges carry a sentence of between five and 20 years, according to the U.S. Code.
