Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: 09/25/2008

Contact person(s):

Media Coordinator, Hilary Moores - 565-3099 Media Spokesperson, Assistant District Attorney Christine M. Cook

Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California

DATELINE STING DEFENDANT SENTENCED ON FELONY ATTEMPTED LEWD ACT WITH A CHILD

District Attorney Passalacqua announced that on September 18, 2008, Andrew Jordan, 27, of Fresno was sentenced to 7 months in jail and 3 years felony probation that includes strict sex offender conditions. Jordan must additionally register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. Superior Court Judge Lawrence G. Antolini pronounced the sentence following Jordan’s no contest plea on July 17, 2008 to a felony charge of attempted lewd act with a child under the age of 14 years.

Jordan was arrested as a part of the Dateline NBC sting operation conducted in conjunction with the Petaluma Police Department, Sonoma County Sheriff’s Department, other local law enforcement agencies and the District Attorney.

Between the dates of August 21, 2006 and August 27, 2008, Jordan engaged in sexually explicit Internet chats with a person he believed to be a twelve year old girl named Jessie. That person was actually an adult volunteer with Perverted Justice. Jordan initiated and participated in inappropriate sexual conversations with “Jessie”, and then agreed to meet the supposed 12 year old for the purpose of having sex. During the course of these conversations, Jordan and “Jessie” exchanged photographs. Jordan first sent photos of his face and head, and then his upper body. Jordan then sent the Perverted Justice volunteer posing as a 12 year old girl a photograph of his penis. On August 27, 2006 Jordan spoke on the telephone several times with another Perverted Justice volunteer as he drove from his residence in Fresno to the location where he had agreed to meet the supposed minor in Petaluma.

Deputy District Attorney Daniel Cohan was the prosecutor, and Kris Allen was the District Attorney Investigator assigned to this case. Sheriff’s Department Detective Wade Eubanks was the lead investigator and Petaluma Police Lieutenant Matthew Stapleton headed up the sting operation.