ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – A 20-year-old man arrested in Orange County after allegedly agreeing to meet what he believed was a 12-year-old boy is also facing similar charges in Arizona, according to court records.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office says an undercover detective logged onto Snapchat on Friday, posing as a 12-year-old. Investigators say the detective was soon contacted by Jase Cogdell, 20, who exchanged photos with the detective using what officials described as an “age-regressed” image to appear younger.
Deputies say Cogdell sent sexually explicit messages and eventually agreed to drive from Clearwater to a shopping center off South Kirkman Road on Sunday morning, where he was taken into custody.
During Cogdell’s first appearance, a judge ordered him not to use a computer or access the internet or social media and to have no contact with minors.
Court records from Maricopa County, Arizona, show Cogdell was previously arrested for a 2023 case on 10 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor. Records indicate he pleaded not guilty in that case and is awaiting trial scheduled for February. In September, he requested permission to travel between Arizona and Florida.
Marc Berkman, CEO of the Organization for Social Media Safety, said cases like this highlight ongoing dangers on social media platforms, particularly Snapchat.
“Parents really need to be aware that those harms are happening across the Snapchat platform,” Berkman said. He questioned how someone awaiting trial on sexual exploitation charges could still communicate with minors online, calling it a “very serious concern.”
Berkman said AI and deepfake technology are making it even easier for predators to deceive and lure minors. “The ability to take someone’s image and create a very realistic video, now with audio as well, is a very serious safety concern,” he said.
Cogdell remains in the Orange County Jail on $25,000 bond. His attorney in the Arizona case did not respond to a request for comment.