A 44 year old Nacogdoches man was arrested yesterday afternoon for two counts of online solicitation of a minor after a joint operation by the Nacogdoches County Sheriff’s Office, Nacogdoches Police Department and the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Sheriff Bridges stated that an investigator with the Nacogdoches County Sheriff’s Office that is assigned to sexual assault investigations and has specialized training with internet crimes against children conducted the investigation that led to the arrest.

The investigator was contacted over the internet by the suspect that was later identified as Jason Collier.

Acting in an undercover capacity with a photo profile of a young girl the investigator was contacted by Collier who requested to be friends with the young girl. A conversation started between the two that would last for over a week. The suspect, who is 44 years of age, was told several times during the conversation that the person he believed he was talking with was a 14 year old girl.

The age of the girl was made clear, leaving no doubt the age of the intended victim. This did not deter the suspect and he started making sexual advances during the conversation on the very first day.

During the week long conversation the suspect continued to try and groom the victim by wanting the victim to call him Daddy and to also introduce her to drugs (marijuana) and alcohol. The investigator was able to get the suspect to send several photos of himself along with a driver license photo during the conversation that helped investigators identify the suspect.

During the investigation the suspect continued to progress about having a sexual relationship with the 14 year old and gave explicit details of what he wanted to do to the child. The NCSO investigator established enough evidence for a warrant on the subject. A meeting was arraigned for the suspect to pick up the 14 year old child and take her to a motel room.

On 02-11-21 a meeting was set up at the north view plaza shopping center. Investigators with NCSO, the Nacogdoches Police Department and the Texas Department of Public Safety set up in the area in unmarked units. Undercover units watched the suspect leave his residence and go toward the meeting destination.

The suspect vehicle was observed pulling into the shopping center and drove around the shopping plaza for several minutes before he parked his vehicle, just outside the business where he believed the 14 year old girl was located at.

Officers from all three agencies then made their approach and took the suspect into custody without incident.

The suspect was booked into the Nacogdoches County Jail and charged with two counts of online solicitation of a minor a 2 nd degree and 3 rd degree offense. The second degree offense was charged due to the subject agreed to meet with the minor.

The Nacogdoches County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the Nacogdoches County District Attorney’s Office, Nacogdoches Police Department and Texas Department of Public Safety for their valuable assistance in this investigation.

Sheriff Bridges stated that NCSO will continue to monitor and conduct undercover operations that will help identify sexual predators to help protect our youth. We encourage all parents to monitor and educate your children on the dangers of social media talk groups.