(Cleveland) -- A nationwide search is underway for a man linked to the sexual assault of a child. Cleveland FBI agents say John Doe 40 may have information about the identity of a child seen on a video with the man last year. The person of interest is a heavyset white man with dark hair between 30 and 40-years-old.
Sketch Credit: Cleveland FBI
Here's the FBI's release:
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is seeking the public’s assistance with obtaining identifying information regarding an unknown male who may have critical information pertaining to the identity of a child victim in an ongoing sexual exploitation investigation. Photographs and an informational poster depicting the unknown individual, known only as John Doe 40, are being disseminated to the public and can be found online at the FBI website at http://www.fbi.gov/wanted/ecap
The video depicting the unidentified male, John Doe 40, shown with a child, was first noted by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in October of 2017; therefore, the video is believed to have been produced prior to this date.
John Doe 40 is described as a White male, likely between the ages of 30 and 40 years old. He appears to be heavyset with dark colored hair. John Doe 40 could be heard speaking English in the video. Anyone with information to provide should submit a tip online at https://tips.fbi.gov/ , or call the FBI’s toll-free tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324). The public is reminded no charges have been filed in this case and the pictured individual is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
This individual is being sought as part of the FBI’s Operation Rescue Me and Endangered Child Alert Program (ECAP) initiatives, both of which represent strategic partnerships between the FBI and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Operation Rescue Me focuses on utilizing clues obtained through in-depth image analysis to identify the child victims depicted in child exploitation material, while ECAP seeks national and international media exposure of unknown adults (referred to as John/Jane Does) who visibly display their faces and/or other distinguishing characteristics in association with child pornography images.
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