Federal prosecutors announced on January 23, 2025, that a grand jury in Columbia, South Carolina, returned a 22-count indictment against 31-year-old Leon-Bobby Jones-Hubbard of Columbia, accusing him of numerous serious charges.
Jones-Hubbard faces multiple charges, including:
Sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion
Two counts of sex trafficking of a minor
Nine counts of production and attempted production of child sexual abuse material
Nine counts of coercion and enticement of a minor into illegal sexual conduct
One count of distribution of child sexual abuse material
Prosecutors say Jones-Hubbard used social media platforms like Facebook to recruit and exploit ten minors, ranging in age from five to 16, across several states including Arkansas, Michigan, Alabama, Wisconsin, and Texas. The indictment also alleges that he used financial platforms such as Cash App, PayPal, and Meta Pay to bribe and entice minors into engaging in illegal sexual acts and producing explicit material.
In addition to exploiting minors, Jones-Hubbard is accused of targeting a vulnerable adult with a severe developmental disorder. He allegedly used an intermediary to coerce the victim into sex acts through physical force and violence, in exchange for money.
If convicted, Jones-Hubbard could face life in prison, with mandatory minimum sentences ranging from five to fifteen years for various counts. Additionally, he faces fines up to $250,000 per count, restitution for victims, and other penalties including lifetime federal supervision and sex offender registration.
Jones-Hubbard was arraigned on January 23, 2025, and is being held in custody pending a detention hearing on January 28, 2025.
This case is part of the Project Safe Childhood initiative, a nationwide effort launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse.
The investigation was led by the FBI Columbia Field Office, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliott B. Daniels and E. Elizabeth Major handling the prosecution.
As with all criminal defendants, Jones-Hubbard is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Further updates on this case will be provided as the legal process unfolds.