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Press Release

West Tennessee Man Sentenced to 110 Months in Federal Prison for Possession and Receipt of Child Pornography

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Tennessee

Memphis, TN – A Cottage Grove, Tenn, man has been sentenced to 110 months in federal prison for possession and receipt of child pornography. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant for the Western District of Tennessee announced the sentence today.

According to information presented in court, in February 2017, law enforcement officers in Henry County, Tenn, received a lead out of Belvidere, Illinois, regarding Russell Jann, 44, of Cottage Grove. Based on that lead and the ensuing investigation, agents learned that Jann had been engaging in sexually explicit online chats and conversations via text messages with at least four minor victims ranging in age from 15 to 17 years old.

U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Sexual predators who victimize children cannot hide from ultimate detection and aggressive prosecution by this office. This significant sentence will ensure accountability and incapacitation for the offender, promote deterrence of others who seek to prey upon children, and accomplish justice for the vulnerable victims in this disturbing case."

Jann exchanged messages with the victims containing pictures of his genitalia and videos of himself masturbating and received similar sexually explicit images and/or videos of at least 3 of the 4 minor victims. Agents also recovered a laptop computer and external hard drive from Jann’s home that contained thousands of images and videos of child pornography depicting children as young as infants. Jann pleaded guilty to receipt and possession of child pornography in November 2017.

On April 4, 2018, the Honorable J. Daniel Breen sentenced Jann to 110 months imprisonment and 5 years supervised release to begin after incarceration. He was also ordered to pay $4,000 in restitution.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexually exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about PSC, please visits www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc/resources.html and click on the tab "resources."

This case was investigated by the FBI, Belvidere Police Department, Belvidere, Illinois; and Henry County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kasey Weiland prosecuted this case on the government’s behalf.

Updated April 5, 2018