Amarillo man arrested after allegedly using chat site to have 'sexually explicit' conversations with children

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AMARILLO, Texas (KAMR/KCIT) – An Amarillo man was arrested on Wednesday on a charge of “Receiving or Distributing Child Pornography” after a months-long investigation during which officials reported finding he was allegedly using an online chat and dating service to have sexually explicit conversations with children. According to a criminal complaint filed on Thursday in […]

AMARILLO, Texas (KAMR/KCIT) – An Amarillo man was arrested on Wednesday on a charge of “Receiving or Distributing Child Pornography” after a months-long investigation during which officials reported finding he was allegedly using an online chat and dating service to have sexually explicit conversations with children.

According to a criminal complaint filed on Thursday in Amarillo Federal Court, Benjamin Jacob Short was arrested when officials with Homeland Security Investigations and the Amarillo Police Department served a search and seizure warrant at his home.

The documents read that Short allegedly admitted to using a cellphone and a chat and online dating service account to have sexually explicit conversations with children. Further, officials said that Short allegedly admitted to using the site to send out Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), including “to minor children in an effort to entice them to produce CSAM.” The documents also alleged that Short’s cellphone contained “thousands” of files containing child pornography.

The search and Short’s arrest followed an investigation that began in February, according to court documents, run by HSI and the United States Secret Service. The joint operation consisted of agents going undercover to act as a 14-year-old girl on the chat and dating site.

Officials said in the documents that Short allegedly direct-messaged the undercover account and “within the first (5) five messages,” began to ask sexual questions and “communicated in a sexually explicit manner,” including sending sexual photos and child pornography.

As of Friday afternoon, no potential bond information or hearing date had been set for Short’s case.