COOKEVILLE MAN ARRESTED FOR SOLICITING A MINOR ONLINE

Cookeville, TN – On August 17, 2025, the Cookeville Police Department received a complaint from a local resident reporting that an adult male had been sending inappropriate images and messages to her 15-year-old son through Snapchat. The suspect was identified as Jeffrey Edward Dawes (41). Dawes sent sexually explicit photos and videos, along with messages offering money in exchange for images of the minor.
On August 21, 2025, the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office located Dawes, seized his phone, and facilitated an interview. During that interview, Dawes admitted to sending the images and solicitations, acknowledging that he knew the recipient was a minor. Following the interview, Cookeville PD detectives charged Dawes with Solicitation of a Minor by Electronic Means (Class B Felony) and Solicitation of a Minor by Electronic Means (Class E Felony). Dawes was taken into custody, booked into the Putnam County Jail, and given a $75,000 bond.
The Cookeville Police Department extends special thanks to the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in locating Dawes and aiding in the investigation.
The Cookeville Police Department is dedicated to protecting the children of our community. To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt, or production of child sexual abuse material; contact the Cookeville Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division at 931-520-5384 or visit the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) website at www.cybertipline.com.