COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is asking the public for help identifying and locating a person of interest who may have critical information regarding the identity of a child victim in an ongoing sexual exploitation investigation.
FBI investigators have released photos of the unnamed man they call John Doe 48 -- a white male between the ages of 45 and 65 years old, with dark hair and a gray beard, and tattoos on both of his forearms. In an image taken from a video first recorded by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, John Doe 48 is seen in the back of a 2018-2019 Nissan NV Cargo Van, speaking English, and wearing a blur t-shirt and dark-colored hat. Data embedded in the video file indicates the file was produced in October 2023.
This individual is being sought as part of the FBI’s Operation Rescue Me and Endangered Child Alert Program (ECAP) initiatives. Operation Rescue Me focuses on utilizing clues obtained through in-depth image analysis to identify the child victims depicted in child exploitation material, while ECAP seeks national and international media exposure of unknown adults (referred to as John/Jane Does) who visibly display their faces and/or other distinguishing characteristics in association with child pornography images.
If you have any information regarding the identity or location of John Doe 48, you are asked to submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov or call the FBI tip line at 1-800-225-5324.
