Jason Powers - Solicitation of a minor - INTERNET PREDATOR

A McMinn County man known in his community is caught on charges of trying to solicit a minor for sex over the internet.

Jason Powers, 35, was the subject of a three week on-line investigation by the Blount County Sheriff's Office. Their technology unit known as HEAT, also focuses on Internet Crimes Against Children. Last year, they worked 370 cases from all over the region.

It was that unit that caught Powers. Detectives declined to release specific information, but say Powers solicited a child under the age of 17 on the internet. He's now facing four counts of solicitation of minor.

Powers is a man from a well-known family in the Athens and Englewood communities of McMinn County. His father is county commissioner, Jack Powers. Jason works in Athens as a manager at Wal-Mart.

Powers is now out of jail on a $60,000 bond. We went to his house today to get his side of the story, but he declined to talk.