JACKSON, Mich. – A Michigan man is accused of communicating with teens in multiple states to harm themselves or send sexually explicit images and videos.
John Richard Ess, from Jackson, was first charged with multiple felonies after an investigation involving five victims under the age of 18. According to newly obtained federal court documents, more victims came forward.
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The investigation began on March 7, 2025, when a Florida mother reported to police that she found sexually explicit images of her 16-year-old child on her child’s phone.
According to court documents, the images were shared through a social media platform with a person using a unique username.
Authorities obtained and executed a search warrant for that social media account and identified Ess as the owner of it.
According to investigators, child pornography was found embedded within the chat between Ess and the 16-year-old.
Court documents noted that Ess received a screenshot from the teen on July 14, 2024, where the teen stated, “im 15 is that oki lolol?”
Man allegedly tells teen to self-harm
Federal officials spoke with an Indiana teen on May 15, 2025.
The teen told authorities that she communicated with Ess when she was 15 years old.
According to the teen, Ess was aware of her age and met in person in December 2024.
The teen told federal officials that they “kissed.”
The teen also reportedly acknowledged one photo shown by investigators depicting a cut arm “was probably” of her, but she was not ready to view the image.
The teen said Ess asked her for photos of her cuts “a million times.” She also said he asked her to cut herself and instructed them on how to do so.
Ess reportedly provided the teen with a knife, which was later confiscated by the teen’s mother.
Man allegedly tells teen to write symbol on body
A 17-year-old in Pennsylvania confirmed their identity from images investigators recovered from Ess’ social media records.
According to authorities, Ess engaged in hundreds of chats with the Pennsylvania teen, and investigators found child pornography embedded in the chats.
Ess reportedly met the 17-year-old on social media in September 2023 when he reached out to “assist” them with an eating disorder.
Officials said Ess was aware the teen was 15 years old when they started communicating.
Ess reportedly asked the teen for sexually explicit images, asked the teen to cut themselves for him, bruise themselves, write on their body, and use sex toys.
The teen told authorities that Ess gave them gifts, including a foot-long knife, sex toys, tarot cards and a necklace.
According to court documents, Ess told the teen to draw a unique symbol on various places of their body, including their leg, arm and torso. The symbol appears to be a waxing, full and crescent moon drawn together, in which court documents refer to it as a “Pagan Goddess Symbol.”
Ess told the teen that he had scheduled a trip to meet them in person, but he was arrested two days before the meeting.
Man was ‘hungry for’ teen, court documents claim
Investigators interviewed another teen in Pennsylvania, where they identified themselves in the child pornography images recovered from Ess’ social media account.
Ess’ allegedly cultivated a “relationship” with the teen and would “assist” the teen with her food intake and weight management.
Authorities said Ess said in a chat in April 2024 that he was “hungry for” the teen and said, “controlling you feels so good for me.”
He also allegedly told the teen to go into a bathroom stall at school and send explicit images and videos with the stall door open.
On April 19, 2024, Ess allegedly told the teen to draw on her body with a marker. When the teen asked the meaning behind what he instructed her to write on her body, he replied, “It will be my symbol.”
Court documents state the symbol the teen drew on her body was the same symbol that the previous teen drew, but this time, it included an “R” in the center.
When the teen sent photos of herself with the symbol drawn on her, Ess reportedly said, “Perfect. Literally perfect. Now show me you kneeling in the mirror again as my owned and marked property.”
Investigators also found chats between Ess and the teen where he was instructing her how to cut herself and chats about Ess giving the teen permission to self-harm.
Man allegedly tells another teen to draw symbol on body
A teen in Kentucky spoke with authorities on June 24, 2025, and identified themselves in the images recovered from Ess’ social media account.
The teen reported she met Ess on social media.
Investigators reportedly found over 1,000 images and videos within the chat between Ess and the Kentucky teen.
Some of the sexually explicit images and videos exchanged between the two included another “pagan goddess symbol” drawn on the teen’s body with an “R” in the middle of it.
She told authorities that Ess wanted to create a relationship with her where he was in complete control of her life, and she feared him.
Man instructs teen to harm themselves
Authorities spoke to another teen in Kentucky on June 24, 2025, who identified themselves in the sexually explicit photos found on Ess’ social media account records.
The teen told federal authorities that Ess encouraged them to self-harm and send him photos. He also reportedly told the teen, who was 15 years old when they communicated, how he wanted them to pose in photos for him.
Man reportedly forces teen to send nude images
Federal officials interviewed a teen in Texas on July 29, 2025, who identified themselves in sexually explicit images found on Ess’ social media accounts.
The teen said they were forced to send nude images to Ess at his request, even if they were uncomfortable with it, because he would act angry or distant if they did not send any.
Man allegedly ‘demands’ teen for nude images
Federal officials spoke with a teen in Massachusetts, who identified themselves in images recovered from Ess’ social media account, including sexually explicit material.
The teen said they were 14 years old when they met Ess and engaged in sexually explicit activity with him because he demanded it.
The teen told authorities that Ess would make them pose in various positions and gestures, and at one point told them, “Take the pic, b****.”
Men faces multiple charges
Ess faces federal charges of child sexual exploitation, receipt and possession of child pornography, and coercion and enticement of minors.
He was also charged by the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office with two counts of aggravated child sexually abusive activity, one count of possession of child sexually abusive material, three counts of using a computer to commit a crime and one count of resisting and obstructing arrest.