A 29-year-old man was recently extradited from Tennessee to Marion County to face 50 felony charges related to his alleged effort to sexually exploit a teenage girl that he met online.
On November 19, 2023, at around 9:25 a.m., Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a residence in southeast Marion County in response to a report that a 14-year-old girl had run away, according to MCSO.
Later that day, the teen’s mother accessed the girl’s Discord account, which is an internet-based communications application. The mother learned that her daughter was having “inappropriate conversations” with a man, identified as Wesley Hurd, who was using the username “Vile.vil,” according to the sheriff’s office.
The teen’s mother contacted the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, and an investigation was launched.
According to MCSO, detectives quickly learned that the teen did not “simply run away from home.” They learned that Hurd had driven from Tennessee to Florida, where he arranged to pick up the teen from her home and return with her to Tennessee.
After reviewing the conversations on Discord between Hurd and the victim, the detective determined that Hurd had been “grooming” the teen. MCSO stated that Hurd went “so far as to encourage [the teen] to produce Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) with an 8-year-old and encouraging her to kidnap the child for him.”
In addition, the sheriff’s office stated that Hurd convinced the teen to “brand herself” by carving the letters “VIL,” which is part of his username on Discord, into several places on her body.
In the online chats, Hurd referred to himself as a “pedo” (short for pedophile), and he made statements about having “similar relationships” with other children, according to MCSO.
An MCSO Major Crimes detective obtained Hurd’s IP address, which was linked to an address in the 600 block of Boozy Creek Road in Blountville, Tennessee. Deputies with the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office responded to the home at around 1:30 a.m. on November 20, and they located Hurd and the 14-year-old girl.
Hurd was placed under arrest, and two MCSO detectives traveled to Tennessee to interview him. After being read his Miranda rights, Hurd admitted to engaging in a “pattern of behavior” that involved locating vulnerable underage girls on the internet, encouraging the victims to engage in self-harm, and then watching the victims harm themselves on video, according to the sheriff’s office.
During the post-Miranda interview, Hurd admitted to creating and sending pornographic photos and videos to the underage girls. MCSO stated that detectives also found “disturbing messages” on Hurd’s phone, in which he “convinced other children to engage in sadomasochistic abuse and bestiality.”
After being arrested in Tennessee, Hurd was extradited to Marion County Jail, where he is currently being held without bond. He is facing numerous felony charges that include human trafficking via commercial sexual activity, solicitation to commit human trafficking, branding of a victim in relation to human trafficking (three counts), solicitation to commit kidnapping, aggravated child abuse, possession of child pornography (20 counts), transmission of child pornography (11 counts), production of child pornography (four counts), traveling to meet a minor to engage in sexual activity, transmission of material harmful to a minor, destruction of physical evidence (two counts), lewd and lascivious exhibition via transmission (three counts), unlawful use of a two-way community device to facilitate a felony, and interference with child custody.
A court date has been scheduled at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, January 16, 2024, according to jail records.
“I am incredibly proud of my detectives and the deputies from the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office, who worked together to locate and arrest this sick individual within four (4) hours of learning he had abducted this child,” stated Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods.
The sheriff continued by stating, “The actions of this sick individual are truly among the most disturbing things I have ever heard of in my 32 years in law enforcement. It is a reminder that true evil exists in this world and that the internet is the chief means by which these predators try to gain access to children. Parents, our children rely upon us to keep them safe, so please be aware of what your kids are doing online. Their lives may depend on it.”
Due to Hurd having numerous photos of children with the username “VIL” branded into them, along with the nature of the conversations he was having with these children, MCSO detectives believe that there are more victims.
If you or someone you know may have had contact with Hurd, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office asks that you call Detective Osthed at 352-351-4710.
Anyone wishing to remain anonymous can call the Crime Stoppers of Marion County at 352-368-STOP(7867).