Keaton Jones: Father of bullied boy who went viral accused of being white supremacist

'I bet you all feel super good about giving that family money now'

This Facebook photo appears to show Shawn White (R) making a white supremacist gang hand symbol (Facebook/Shawn White)

Yet another relative of Keaton Jones, a boy whose emotional video about bullying went viral this month, has been accused of racist behaviour based on his social media posts.

Keaton gained overnight internet celebrity after his mother, Kimberly Jones, posted a video of of him talking about his middle-school bullies on Facebook. The tearful video struck a chord with millions of viewers and dozens of celebrities, many of whom posted shout-outs to Keaton on social media.

But past Facebook posts indicate that Shawn White, a man who appears to be Keaton’s father, was a member of the Aryan Circle – a prison gang identified by the FBI as an “organised white supremacist group”.

A Facebook account seemingly run by Mr White contains numerous photos and other posts connecting him to the gang.

In one photo, Mr White can be seen posing with four fingers extended and his ring finger bent – a gesture identified by the Anti-Defamation League as an Aryan Circle hand sign. In another photo, Mr White can be seen posing next to a man with a swastika tattoo. One of Mr White’s own tattoos reads: “Pure Breed”.

A Facebook page seemingly belonging to Shawn White made references to a white supremacist gang motto (Facebook/Shawn White)

Also on the Facebook account is an image bearing the words: “Thank you for being apart[sic] of this family. Without you there is no us!! WE are the Arayan”. The words are set over a background reading “13” – a code for “AC” or “Aryan Circle,” according to the ADL.

A comment below another photo reads “MHICL”. According to the ADL, this is an abbreviation for the Aryan circle motto: “My Honor is Called Loyalty”.

The Facebook page also contains one photo of Keaton, from February of 2015.

The photos caused some on social media to accuse Mr White of racism, and bemoan the fundraising efforts created in the family's name.

"In other news Keaton Jones’ father is a white supremacist doing time so I bet you all feel super good about giving that family money now," tweeted Jamie Sugiyama.

Mr White did not respond to questions about whether the Facebook account belonged to him. The photos posted on the account, however, match a mug shot of Mr White obtained by The Independent. The last photo on the account was posted in March of 2015 – one month before Mr White was incarcerated, according to TennesseeArrests.org.

Another photo from the Facebook account bears the number 13, which can be used to stand for "AC" or "Aryan Circle" (Facebook/Shawn White)

Court documents obtained by The Independent show Mr White had a checkered criminal past. Over the last 20 years, he has been convicted of drug possession, reckless driving, theft, vandalism, and aggravated assault.

In 2011, Mr White was charged with aggravated stalking – a charge that was later dismissed. Mr White’s ex-girlfriend told police at the time that he had been texting her and threatening to kill their young children. She also said Mr White had told her he was part of the Aryan Circle.

Property records show the address listed for the anonymous ex-girlfriend belonged to Kimberly Jones, Keaton’s mother.

Ms Jones has been accused of racist behaviour herself, after social media sleuths uncovered photos of her and her children posing with a Confederate flag. Ms Jones defended the photos on ABC’s Good Morning America, claiming they were meant to be “ironic” and “funny”.

“I feel like anybody who wants to take the time to ask anybody who I am or even troll through some other pictures, I mean, I feel like we're not racist,” she said.

She added: “I am genuinely truly sorry. If I could take it back, I would.”