Jason Atha, a registered Colorado dentist, is now a federal sex crime suspect. He has been arrested and charged after he allegedly made moves to have sex with a mother and her 8-year-old daughter. Federal agents rounded him up at the Palm Beach International Airport in Florida on his way to meet the mother and child.
Dr. James Jason Atha, 50, a dentist at Alpine Dentistry in Boulder, Colorado, communicated with the girl’s mom for many months. He and the mother spoke via a messaging app where he indicated an interest in participating in sexual acts with her and her daughter.
However, unknown to him, he was speaking to an undercover agent from the Department of Homeland Security who posed as an abusive mom. He has now been charged with attempted enticement of a minor. This charge carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
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Jason Atha Was Arrested on August 9
Federal agents caught up with Jason Atha on Friday, August 9, 2024, when he landed at Palm Beach Airport. They placed him in handcuffs and whisked him away. He had planned to stay in Florida for three days, from the 9th to the 11th, during which time he expected to participate in the acts.
He planned his visit with the girl’s mom before he made the move. Atha also shared his flight plans and weekend activities with her. The agent asked him several times if he was convinced about his plans. He responded in the affirmative, assuring her that he wanted to have sex with the minor.
The undercover agent, at a point, also asked him if he had performed sexual acts with a mother and a daughter before. According to the 27-page indictment, he replied, “Unfortunately, no.” “I have had so many of what I thought were opportunities, only to get ghosted when it got down to it,” he allegedly elaborated.
Prosecutors also revealed that Jason Atha was initially hesitant. He also expressed fears about his possible arrest at the airport. “I’m very nervous but serious,” he wrote in a message to the agent. “In my head, I get there, and cops are waiting for me,” he added.
The Operation That Caught Jason Atha Began in December 2023
Jason Atha’s trouble with federal agents began when he messaged a supposed single mother from Florida in an online chatroom. The agent caught Atha’s attention after she posted a message describing how she groomed her 8-year-old daughter using sex toys. She disclosed that the acts occurred during playtime in October 2023.
Jason Atha responded to her message in December 2023, and they began talking. “That’s a beautiful thing. I would sooo love to be part of that,” he allegedly responded. The agent continued conversing with him for months and established some trust. Six months later, on June 14, 2024, Atha and the agent began discussing when he could come over.
According to prosecutors, Atha and the agent discussed the sexual acts he would perform on the child. These took place in multiple conversations within ten months. “I would love to find mother-daughter to play with,” he reportedly wrote in one of his phone messages.
Reports also state that Jason Atha suggested how the agent should dress the child. He recommended “something not all that age-appropriate.” Specifically, he asked that the child be dressed in a halter top, “short shorts,” lipstick, and eye shadow.
A day before his trip, he wrote to the agent telling her that he had purchased chocolate-flavored lubrication. In addition, he brought condoms for the planned sexual encounters with the girl and her mother, according to the indictment.
Jason Atha’s Confessions
The federal agents arrested Atha and the undercover agent at the airport. An arrest affidavit revealed that he questioned his arrest. He asked how his conversations with the mother came to the agents’ knowledge. It was at that point that the undercover agent revealed her true identity.
The agents then took Atha for questioning. Surprisingly, he reportedly waived his Miranda rights, spoke freely with the federal agents, and disclosed his mission. Jason Atha told the agents that he was in Florida to watch the mom have sex with her daughter.
Also, he admitted that his phone contained child pornography. Agents confirmed that his phone actually contained pornographic materials. Atha admitted to having phone conversations with the agent. However, he stated that he didn’t intend to follow through with the plan.
What Is the Definition of Sexual Abuse?
Simply put, sexual abuse is any sexual act that happens without consent. Other names for sexual abuse are sexual violence and sexual assault. These sexual acts include unwanted kissing, unwanted touching of body parts such as the breast, genitals, or bottom, penetration of someone’s mouth, vagina, or anus.
Also, sexual abuse could involve the touching or use of something else to touch the skin or clothing of an individual. Any form of sexual abuse can cause great emotional damage to the affected person.
In the case of children, all sexual activity qualifies as sexual abuse. That’s because children cannot give consent under most laws.
There is also non-contact abuse. These are acts done with or against children without physical contact with them, such as exposing or flashing sensitive body parts to them and showing them pornographic materials.
Other examples include making them masturbate, forcing them to view child abuse images or videos and forcing them to take part in sexual conversations. In the United States, these acts attract serious criminal charges and may lead to lengthy jail terms.
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