Uintah County man faces 18 felony charges; accused of exploiting 11-year-old through text
- Travis Uresk
- Jul 19
- 1 min read
| by Danielle MacKimm, KUTV |
| Sat, July 19th 2025 at 8:33 AM |
BALLARD, Utah (KUTV) — A registered sex offender from Uintah County is facing 18 felony charges after allegedly exchanging explicit photos and videos with an 11-year-old boy over text.
A Duchesne County Sheriff's deputy was assigned to investigate a case involving 23-year-old Jacob Kimball Bates on July 12. Family members of an 11-year-old boy reportedly reached out to law enforcement after finding texts on the boy’s cell phone from Bates requesting Child Sexual Abuse Material and asking the boy to perform different sexual acts.
The deputy met with the boy’s mother on Wednesday, July 16, who turned over her son’s phone. A search of the phone revealed a string of text messages between the boy and Bates as well as two explicit videos and one photograph the boy had sent to Bates, arrest documents stated.
The deputy conducted a Children’s Justice Center interview with the victim on Thursday, July 17. The boy alleged that he had been in Montana with family when Bates reached out to him by text. Bates is accused of asking the victim to send Child Sexual Abuse Material. According to court documents, the boy stated he knew this was wrong, but was afraid Bates would get angry and not be his friend anymore if he did not send him the photos and videos he requested.
Deputies stated that the victim had met Bates when he was at the boy’s house completing handyman work. From there, Bates and the boy reportedly stayed in touch through Fortnite, an online video game, and became friends.
