A registered sex offender in Portland, Tennessee is facing 10 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor after investigators say they found hundreds of media files depicting child sexual exploitation on a cellphone he never disclosed to law enforcement. John Daniel Ray was taken into custody last week when officers executed a search warrant at a Portland location, and he is now held in the Sumner County Jail on a $161,000 bond.
Officers with the Portland Police Department worked alongside the Sumner County Emergency Response Team to carry out the search warrant on October 23, according to fox17.com. Ray was taken into custody without any problems during the operation, the outlet reported, citing police. He is listed as violent in the Tennessee Sex Offender Registry, according to the same report.
Hundreds of Files Allegedly Found on Hidden Phone
Detectives say they found an undisclosed cellphone belonging to Ray that he had reportedly obtained without informing law enforcement, as required under his registration status. Per detectives, the phone contained hundreds of media files related to child sexual exploitation. Fox17 reported that Ray also allegedly had several social media accounts he did not share with law enforcement, in addition to the undisclosed phone.
As a registered sex offender with a history of sexual offenses, Ray is required to inform Tennessee law enforcement of all devices and social media accounts registered under his name. A Tennessee sex-offender-law excerpt provided by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation spells out what that disclosure requirement covers: a complete listing of email addresses and usernames, social media accounts an offender uses or intends to use, instant-message and other internet-communication platforms or devices, and the usernames or screen names tied to those accounts.
More Charges Could Be Coming
Ray was booked on 10 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor following the search, and according to the report, additional charges could follow as the investigation continues. The case remains active, and no further details about the scope of the undisclosed social media accounts or the full contents of the phone have been released.
