Pittsburgh man behind bars after allegedly using Snapchat to talk to young girls, ask for sex

PITTSBURGH — Police say Jonathan Smith, who lives in Ross Township, was talking to three 14-year-old girls and one 12-year-old girl on Snapchat.

In all of the conversations, police say he asked to meet up with them. In some of the talks, the conversation turned sexual.

One of the young girls allegedly told detectives that Smith sent her nearly 90 messages saying he loved her.

Then, detectives say she told them that Smith asked the girl to send nude photos of herself, and if she didn’t, he threatened to kill her.

Cyber security expert Mathew Newfield said these situations are sadly common.

“Almost every day. Unfortunately we hear about here kinds of attacks against children and adults all of the time, all over the world,” Newfield told Channel 11.

According to Newfield, predators often use the Snapchat app with the promise that the photos or videos will disappear.

“[They’ll say,] don’t worry this conversation is going to vanish in 15 or 30 seconds. Don’t worry, that picture you sent, it’s not forever. Then people forget, I can take a screen shot, or take a photo,” he added.

Police say Smith first began pursuing one of the girls several months ago. He wasn’t charged until the victim’s older sister became aware and told police.

According to investigators, Smith approached the girl as she was walking home from school in McKees Rocks and told her she was cute.

That’s when the girl allegedly said that she was just 14 years old, and she told detectives that Smith responded, “no one has to know.”

From there, police say Smith began having sex with the girl, tried to pay her for sex acts, and even gave her drugs.

He’s being held in the Allegheny County Jail facing several charges.

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