Medford, Oregon- Authorities arrested a 39-year-old Jacksonville man on March 26 after he attempted to meet a teenager for sexual purposes. The suspect, Anthony Nicholas Wheeler, had been communicating with the minor through Snapchat’s “Quick Add” feature. The teen’s parents discovered the interactions on March 22 and notified the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO).
Detectives from the Southern Oregon Child Exploitation Team (SOCET) assumed control of the teen’s Snapchat account and confirmed Wheeler was engaging in sexual communication with the minor. On March 26, Wheeler arranged to meet who he believed was the teen, but instead encountered an undercover SOCET detective.
Law enforcement from JCSO, SOCET, Oregon State Police (OSP), and Medford Police Department (MPD) apprehended Wheeler at 7:28 PM in the 2900 block of Crater Lake Highway in Medford.
Wheeler faces charges of first-degree online sexual corruption of a child, second-degree online sexual corruption of a child, and luring a minor. He is currently held in the Jackson County Jail.
The investigation received support from JCSO detectives, OSP, and MPD, with funding provided by the United States Marshals Service. The Jackson County District Attorney’s Office will prosecute the case.
SOCET, established in June 2020, is a collaborative task force involving investigators from JCSO, the Oregon Department of Justice Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations, and prosecutors from local, state, and federal law enforcement in Jackson and Josephine Counties.
Authorities emphasize the need for parental oversight of children’s online activities. The parents’ intervention in this case led to the suspect’s arrest. To help protect children online, officials recommend discussing internet safety, setting clear guidelines, and encouraging open communication.
They also urge reporting any suspected online enticement or exploitation to 911, the FBI at http://www.tips.fbi.gov, or the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678 or http://www.report.cybertip.org.
7/28/25 UPDATE LINK
All suspects are believed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law
Source: JCSO
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