Janes, who went by the username “Revision#3409” on Discord, “did not just target MV1,” the complaint alleges.

“He contacted nearly a dozen minor boys on the platform from February 20, 2023 to on or about April 20, 2023. During some of these conversations, he enticed the minors to produce and send child pornography to him as well as engage in live video calls to see them naked,” it states. “Three minors have been identified, one child forensic interview is scheduled for May 30, 2023 and the other child forensic interviews will be scheduled.”

Detectives were able to identify Janes through his Virginia driver’s license and his computer IP address, according to authorities. They were also able to uncover a photo he sent in a chat of his access badges to government buildings. Janes had “recently taken a contract position within a headquarters unit in the FBI,” investigators said.

US DOJ PRESS RELEASE (Number: 23-911)
A federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Virginia returned an indictment today charging a former FBI contractor with sexual exploitation of children.

According to court documents, Brett Janes, 26, of Arlington, Virginia, allegedly contacted roughly a dozen minor boys over Discord and Snapchat. He allegedly groomed the minors by telling them he worked for a U.S. intelligence agency before repeatedly threatening suicide if the minors did not continue to communicate with him. Janes allegedly enticed one victim, a 13-year-old boy whom he met through the first-person shooter game Valorant, to strip and masturbate over a live video Discord call by threatening to kill himself and by paying him money over CashApp. He allegedly enticed a 12-year-old boy to create and send him child sexual abuse material (CSAM) over Discord through flattery and repeated begging. Janes allegedly received child sexual abuse material from these two minors, as well as two separate minor victims, and attempted to meet up with a minor. He also allegedly purchased hundreds of videos and images of child sexual abuse material from Telegram.

Janes is charged with two counts of sexual exploitation of children and production of CSAM, one count of attempted coercion and enticement, and one count of receipt of child pornography. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, and Arlington County Chief of Police Charles “Andy” Penn made the announcement.

The FBI and Arlington County Police are investigating the case.

Trial Attorney McKenzie Hightower of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section is prosecuting the case.

Any individuals who believe they or someone they know may have been victimized by Janes are encouraged to contact the FBI at 202-278-2000 and ask to speak to the Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Justice Department. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.