Mississippi Man Arrested for Advertising Child Pornography on the Dark Web

BOSTON - A Mississippi man has been arrested and charged with allegedly publishing and advertising child sexual abuse material (CSAM) online.

Jesse Ladner, 26, of Pass Christian, Miss., was charged in U.S. District Court in Boston with one count of advertisement of child pornography. Ladner was arrested today in the Southern District of Mississippi and will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.

According to the charging documents, as part of an ongoing international investigation into online child exploitation, law enforcement has been targeting individuals who advertise, distribute, or access CSAM on dark web platforms. One such platform, referred to as "Website A," operated on the Tor network from approximately August 2024 to October 2025 and was dedicated to the exploitation of children.

It is alleged that Ladner was identified as an active participant on the site from approximately Aug. 29, 2024, through Sept. 3, 2025, during which time he contributed approximately 1,450 posts depicting CSAM. Investigators reviewed posts allegedly by Ladner on Website A, demonstrating his history and use of Website A over time. On Sept. 5, 2025 numerous posts allegedly contributed by Ladner were located across various sections of Website A. including on a thread previously created by Ladner. On this thread Ladner allegedly advertised CSAM files including those with titles like, "Next up Melissa the naked 11 yo! Incoming Live Preview:" and "Next up a classic blonde! (2 Vids). Incoming Live Previews."

The charge of advertisement of child pornography provides for no less than 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jeff Grimming, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations in Gulf Port, Miss. and the Mississippi Attorney General's Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm, Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and a member of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the DOJ's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.projectsafechildhood.govLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link..

The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.