Source: Office of United States Attorneys
Gulfport, MS – A Pascagoula man was sentenced to 20 years in prison for distribution of images of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
According to court documents, Tyrone Lewis, 20, had sexual contact with a 14-year-old in Jackson County, Mississippi, and recorded some of the sexual acts on a cell phone. Further investigation, including an analysis of the victim’s cell phone, revealed that Lewis sent the victim videos of himself and the victim engaging in sexual activity. The cell phone also contained a text message which confirmed Lewis knew the victim was a minor.
In July 2024, Lewis pled guilty to distribution of images of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Eric DeLaune of Homeland Security Investigations made the announcement.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee Smith prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, 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 about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.