(KNOE) – The FBI says they have identified a man they believe has information on a child victim in an ongoing sexual exploitation investigation.

On July 15, 2021, the FBI reported that they have taken “John Doe 44″ into custody. Authorities did not release the man’s name nor did they say where he was found. The FBI did not indicate what, if any, charges have been filed against the man.

On Wednesday, the FBI sent a nationwide alert saying ‘John Doe 44′ is believed to have critical information regarding a child victim. The FBI said the initial video of the unidentified male, shown with a child, was first recorded by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children in February 2021. The EXIF data embedded within the video files indicated that the files were produced prior to November 2018.

Anyone with information on this or any other federal sex crime case should submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov, or call the FBI’s toll-free tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324).

Officials say this “individual was sought as part of the FBI’s Operation Rescue Me and Endangered Child Alert Program (ECAP) initiatives, both of which represent strategic partnerships between the FBI and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. Operation Rescue Me focuses on using clues obtained through in-depth image analysis to identify the child victims depicted in child exploitation material, while ECAP seeks national and international media exposure of unknown adults (referred to as John/Jane Does) who visibly display their faces and/or other distinguishing characteristics in association with child pornography images.”

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