LAKE STEVENS—Two suspects, a 32-year-old Jonathan Whitwell, and a 46-year-old Larissa Jordan, were arrested in Lake Stevens Wednesday, April 16, on charges of bestiality, child sex abuse, and distribution of child pornography involving a 4-year-old victim.
Whitwell faces charges of animal abuse with sexual motivation (a class C felony), and Jordan faces charges of animal abuse with sexual motivation, sexual exploitation of a minor (a class B felony), possession of a depiction of a minor engaged in a sexually explicit conduct (a class B felony), and distribution of depictions of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct (a class B felony). The Seattle Police Department said they expect more charges will surface in the future as they gather more information.
Jordan’s bond is set for $250,000 and Whitwell’s was set to $0. Both were booked in Snohomish County Jail.
The arrest is the result of a multi-jurisdictional investigation involving the Seattle Police Department, Lake Stevens Police Department, and Washington State Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The arresting agencies also involved the Lake Stevens Police Department, Arlington Police Department, Bothell Police Department, Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office, FBI and Homeland Security Investigations.
The SPD Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) received a ‘Priority 1’ CyberTip on April 16 from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, indicating there may be imminent or ongoing harm to a child.
The unit began digging into the information provided from the tip and found sexually abusive material involving a child was being sent and received through a social media app. They pinpointed the four-year-old victim’s location to Lake Stevens, immediately teaming up with other law enforcement agencies, and identified the two suspects within hours.
They were arrested by the Snohomish County Violent Offenders Task Force. The child was located, rescued, and immediately taken to safety.
Both suspects confessed to crimes including bestiality and distribution of child pornography according to the Seattle Police Department.
“This was a swift and thorough response that exemplifies the collaborative nature of the WA State ICAC Task Force in its efforts to protect children,” said Lt. Ben Morrison, SPD’s ICAC Task Force Commander.
The Lake Stevens Police Department is continuing to investigate the incident.
The is a developing story please check back soon for updates.
Author: Kienan Briscoe
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