On June 26, 2024, Detective Bllis of the Austin Police Department received from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) multiple Cybertip Reports from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) indicating that Microsoft BingImage informed NCMEC that one of their users had uploaded multiple files of suspected child sexual abuse material (CSAM). BingImage provided multiple IP addresses associated with the uploaded CSAM and used by the suspect. The BCA issued a subpoena to T-Mobile for the IP addresses associated with the CSAM uploads.
T-Mobile responded and provided information on the suspect user, JASON DEAN VANDEWEERD, DOB/020285, the defendant herein. The information included the defendant's name; address of 800 9111 Avenue SW, Austin, MN; and his phone number (ending -9406). The information provided also showed that the IP addresses were associated with a T-Mobile home internet hot spot. Det. Ellis reviewed the information provided by T-Mobile and confirmed that the defendant lived at the address provided by T-Mobile. Ellis also learned that the defendant previously registered as a predatory offender until the requirement was completed on 9/25/2021. Det.
Ellis also reviewed the files provided to the BCA and confirmed that all fifteen (15) files uploaded by the BingImage user contained CSAM or nude children. Two of the files are described as follows: ® Filename: L££7d09a-d4cd-4911-af47-9b21976c546a.4pg lab2fsi9d Incident time: 05/21/2024 @ 10:59: 05 UTC The file is a photo that depicts a prepubescent female child (approximately 8 years old) exposing her bare vagina. The female child's legs are spread a part and an adult male's bare penis is depicted sexually assaulting the female child.
Filename: e33557f8-a538-421b-8646-a0caed95546d.jpg MD5: 58153047abf3cf£3267£56414b523b2l Incident time: 05/16/2024 @ 10:47: 26 UTC The file is a photo that depicts two prepubescent female children (approximately 7 years old). Female Child A is fully nude exposing her bare undeveloped breasts and bare vagina. Female Child B is fully nude exposing her bare buttocks. Female Child B is engaged in oral to genital intercourse with Female Child A. Det. Bllis conducted surveillance of the defendant's residence located at 800 gth Ave SW in the City of Austin, County of Mower, and learned that the defendant is the primary resident at that address.
Ellis also checked the Wi-. Fi connections around the address and noted that all discoverable Wi-Fi connections in the area were secured by passwords. Det. Ellis applied for and was granted a search warrant for the defendant's residence. On May 7, 2025, at approximately 2:35 P.M., Det. Ellis and other law enforcement officers executed the search warrant. Det. Ellis made contact with the defendant and read him the Miranda warning. The defendant stated he understood and agreed to speak with Ellis. The defendant stated that he lived alone and had not had any roommates for over a year.
