‘Sick-minded individual’ accused of stalking teen influencer in Florida arrested after confronting her father

[Desmond Milligan 0]

The Brief

• A Pennsylvania man is accused of tracking a 14-year-old Florida girl through her social media posts and traveling to the Sunshine State to pursue her.

• According to the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, Jarred Easter, 29, spent three months sending disturbing emails, nude photographs, and obsessive messages to the email account connected to the victim’s social media page.

• Easter was arrested after he traveled to the teen’s home and confronted her father.

WALTON COUNTY, Fla. - A Pennsylvania man is accused of tracking a 14-year-old Florida girl through her social media posts and traveling to the Sunshine State to pursue her.

The backstory

According to the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, Jarred Easter, 29, spent three months sending disturbing emails, nude photographs, and obsessive messages to the email account connected to the victim’s social media page.

Investigators say the conversations were entirely one-sided, revolving around photos the child had publicly posted.

Easter, according to WCSO, tracked the teen’s location through her online presence and ultimately showed up at her home in Walton County, where he confronted the child’s father in the driveway, asking to speak with her.

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After demanding Easter leave, the father called the Walton County Sheriff’s Office.

On Monday, investigators tracked Easter to a hotel in Crestview and Okaloosa County deputies arrested him.

Courtesy: Walton County Sheriff's Office

He was extradited back to Walton County on Tuesday.

What they're saying

"This was a sick-minded individual who convinced himself he had a relationship with a child," said Sheriff Michael Adkinson. "We are grateful the victim wasn't harmed, and we are working tirelessly to ensure there are no other victims connected to this predator. Perverts who cross state lines to target children will find themselves in handcuffs."

What's next

Easter was charged with numerous counts of sending harmful material to a minor, traveling to meet a minor for sex, and using a computer to solicit a child.

He was court-ordered to wear a GPS monitor, to have no contact with minors, have no access to the internet, and was issued a $250,000 bond.

READ:Former Florida deputy who skipped DUI manslaughter trial caught in Colombia: TPD

What you can do

The Walton County Sheriff’s Office is urging parents, especially those whose children have large social media followings, to be proactive in protecting their online safety.

Authorities warn a digital footprint can unintentionally provide clues to a child’s location or habits and recommend that parents:

• Regularly monitor your child’s online accounts and direct messages.

• Encourage children NOT to share identifiable details such as school names, neighborhoods, sibling names, or frequent hangout spots.

• Use privacy settings to LIMIT who can see or comment on your child’s posts.

• Remind teens that followers are NOT friends—treat every interaction with caution.

• Report any suspicious contact immediately to law enforcement.

The Source

This story was written with information posted by the Walton County Sheriff's Office.

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