Facebook Meta is in trouble. One of its top executives allegedly made advances toward a 13-year-old boy named “Corey.” Jeren Miles, head of data center management for Mark Zuckerberg’s multinational company, is accused of sending obscene messages to a minor and attempting to arrange an encounter in a hotel room in Columbus, Ohio. (“Corey”is the fictitious name of an account run by a small organization of pedophile stalkers, the Predator Catchers Indianapolis.)
The story was reconstructed by The Daily Mail. A man and woman from the task force showed up at the hotel, convincing Miles to turn himself in, while streaming their dialogue on Facebook. The executive was promptly terminated by Meta, which launched an investigation. Miles, however, has not been arrested nor has he been charged with any crime. Miles admitted to sending the lewd messages, but denies intending to perform any sex acts upon a minor.
Miles reportedly began private messaging “Corey” on November 22 with a simple, “Hey, do we know each other?” Although the user revealed an age of only thirteen years, the Meta manager launched into a series of allusive statements towards the interlocutor, even saying that he had in mind to “try to get into some trouble”, such as that, precisely, of “having spoken with a minor”. Miles delivered some disturbing texts, saying “I love naked cuddles on a cold evening” and “I won’t have any restraint around you if I’m horny.”
From the stars to the stables
Once Miles was unmasked at the Columbus hotel, Eric Schmutte and Shanda Nolley, the two agents of Predator Catchers Indianapolis, put him under the microscope: “So you’re okay talking about sex online as long as you don’t meet the kids?” Nolley asked him. “That’s the only time I’ve ever done that,” was the Meta executive’s response.
Despite turning over the obscene messages to Columbus police and police in Palm Springs, California–where Miles is a resident–Schmutte and Nolley received no response from law enforcement. Palm Springs police spokesman Mike Casavan said, “No one by that name has been reported to us.” However, Nolley shared a screenshot of an email sent to police on Feb. 17, at 9 p.m. The Daily Mail requested comment from the Columbus Police Department, but did not receive a response.
Meanwhile, the circle of friends, neighbors and business associates are distancing themselves from Jeren Miles. A man who opened the door to a property purchased by the Facebook manager in 2019 said he did not know Miles and declined to comment further.
Neighbors say Miles lives on the property and rents it out to tourists on weekends. A spokesperson for Meta states, “The seriousness of these allegations is not exaggerated.” He then confirmed that Miles no longer works for Zuckerberg’s company and that there are ongoing investigations, refusing, however, to add any more details.
Suspicious depredations
Interviewed by The Daily Mail, Shanda Nolley took stock of two years of her task force’s work. Many of the men they unmasked are “repeat offenders,” she says. Individuals who ended up in handcuffs in the various raids by Predator Catchers Indianapolis include Brian J. Boyer, 40, an Indiana high school teacher. The man was convicted of soliciting minors after sending sexually explicit messages to what he believed to be a 14-year-old female compatriot. Boyer later took a plea deal for 18 months in prison and two and a half years of probation.
Predator Catchers Indianapolis is part of Predator Catchers Incorporated, registered as a non-profit organization, funded solely by donations. Its workers act as volunteers, and Nolley herself works as a financial manager for a construction company.
In the operation that unmasked Miles, not everything went right. Facebook deleted the account of “Corey”, which contained important information about other sex offenders and pedophiles. As if that wasn’t enough, the Predator Catchers PA YouTube channel has already received two warnings for terms of use violations. “If we get another warning, they’ll cancel our channel,” Nolley laments. “It’s difficult for us to find platforms where we can share this information. We’re trying to educate communities and raise awareness about this issue.”
Doing good (and without remuneration) does not always elicit gratitude. In fact, in some cases you only get a beating. However, when two giants of the global economy such as Facebook (no stranger to opaque operations) and YouTube get in the way, there is cause for concern. A very profound concern.