FORT GORDON, Ga. – A soldier with the Texas Army National Guard pleaded guilty to numerous sexual crimes against children during his court-martial July 2 – 3 at the Fort Gordon Courtroom.
Pfc. Jayden W. Carson, 20, on Title 10 orders for Advanced Individual Training assigned to the 15th Signal Brigade, pleaded guilty to attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity, sexual exploitation of a child - producing child pornography, distributing child pornography, and sexual abuse of a child involving indecent exposure.
The military judge sentenced him to 13 years in prison and a bad conduct discharge from the Army.
Per the terms of the plea agreement, the government agreed to limit the sentence to a bad conduct discharge and a range of confinement between five and 14 years in exchange for his guilty plea.
Carson met the first victim prior to joining the Texas Army National Guard. He met the second victim in May 2024 while he was stationed at Fort Gordon. One of the victims was located in Texas and the other one lived in Florida. Both were minors during the charged offenses, one being 14 and the other 16.
One of the victim’s parents found evidence of indecent communication on their child’s mobile device and reported it to law enforcement. Throughout the subsequent investigation, Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division agents uncovered the second victim and additional misconduct.
Carson used his online presence to attract and gain the trust of his child-victims. His actions involved requesting that the victims send him pornographic images of themselves. He would then distribute these images on Snapchat across state and international borders. The government charged him with various crimes under the Federal Code and the Uniform Code of Military Justice to capture the extent of his criminal actions.
“The accused used the internet to target vulnerable children for his own sexual gain. His crimes span multiple states, crossed international borders, and progressed in severity during his time in the Army. He exploited and abused his victims virtually, leading to a lasting impact on their lives,” said Maj. Steven Poland, prosecutor, Second Circuit, Army Office of Special Trial Counsel. “This sentence properly holds him accountable, protects society from future harm, and provides needed closure to the families that he impacted.”
“The conviction of Mr. Carson for these heinous crimes demonstrates the effectiveness of the partnership between Army CID and the Army Office of Special Trial Counsel,” said Special Agent in Charge Ryan O’Connor of Army CID’s Southeast Field Office. “Army CID remains committed to protecting children and relentlessly pursuing those who harm them.”
Carson will serve his confinement at the United States Disciplinary Barracks, Fort Leavenworth, Kan. Upon release, he will be required to register as a sex offender and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements.
The case was investigated by Army CID’s Fort Gordon Resident Agency and prosecuted by Poland, Capt. Gabrielle Lucero, Second Circuit, Army OSTC, and Capt. Knox Anderson, Office of the Staff Judge Advocate, Cyber Center of Excellence & Fort Gordon.
The Army Office of Special Trial Counsel is comprised of specially trained military lawyers, legal professionals and support staff responsible for the expert and independent prosecution of murder, sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse, kidnapping and other serious criminal offenses. Headquartered at Fort Belvoir, Va., OSTC has eight regional headquarters that oversee 28 field offices located across the country to include Europe and Korea. For more information visit https://www.army.mil/ostc.
If you would like to report a crime, have information about a crime, or have been the subject or survivor of a crime, you can submit anonymous tips to Army CID at https://www.p3tips.com/tipform.aspx?ID=325.
| Date Taken: | 07.11.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 07.11.2025 10:44 |
| Story ID: | 542532 |
| Location: | FORT GORDON, GEORGIA, US |
| Web Views: | 359 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Soldier pleads guilty to sexual crimes against children during trial at Fort Gordon, by Michelle McCaskill, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
