Cleveland Man Sentenced to Serve 33 Years in Prison for Production of Child Pornography

CHATTANOOGA—Jerry Ray Tyler, Jr., 30, of Cleveland, Tennessee, was sentenced on June 6, 2013, by the Honorable Curtis L. Collier, U.S. District Court Judge, to serve 400 months in federal prison.

Tyler was charged in a November 2012 indictment with seven counts of production of child pornography by a parent; 12 counts of distribution of child pornography; and eight counts of receipt of child pornography. In February 2013, Tyler pleaded guilty to one count of production of child pornography by a parent and one count of distribution of child pornography. Tyler faced a maximum of 30 years for each count of production of child pornography and a maximum of 20 years for each count of distribution or receipt of child pornography. Judge Collier ordered the maximum sentence for each offense and then ordered the sentences to run partially consecutive to each other to reach the total sentence of 400 months. This sentence is to be followed by 20 years of supervised release.

This investigation began with an Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Officer acting on a lead from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. That lead resulted in a search of Tyler’s house, computers, and cell phone. The electronics were found to contain the images of child pornography, including images taken by Tyler of two minor children.

Agencies involved in this investigation included the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force; Department of Homeland Security, Investigations Division; and Bradley County Sheriff’s Office, Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Terra L. Bay, Assistant U.S. Attorney represented the United States.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a Department initiative launched in 2006 that aims to combat the proliferation of technology facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC marshals federal, state, tribal, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information visit justice.gov/psc.