Pierre Burns, Child Sex Abuse Material, Tennessee 2023

Smyrna Man Sentenced for Producing Child Sexual Abuse Material and Witness Tampering

A federal jury previously convicted Pierre Burns, 31, of Smyrna, Tennessee, of two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of witness tampering for producing sexually explicit images of two minors and then calling one of the minors from jail to influence her trial testimony.

According to the evidence at trial, in March 2020 the defendant picked up two runaway minors at a Nashville Waffle House. Over the course of the next several days, he used his phone to photograph and record the minors engaging in sexual acts. Following a traffic stop, these sexually explicit images were discovered on the defendant’s phone. One of the minors depicted in the images was in the car with the defendant during that traffic stop.

While the defendant was awaiting trial on child exploitation charges, he called one of the minors from the jail in an attempt to influence her testimony. The defendant was subsequently charged in a superseding indictment with witness tampering.

Pierre Burns, 31, of Smyrna, Tennessee, was sentenced yesterday to 20 years in prison and 10 years of supervised release.

“Protecting minors from exploitation continues to be one of the Justice Department’s top priorities,” said United States Attorney Henry C. Leventis. “Today’s sentence, and the excellent investigative and trial work that preceded it, will ensure that this defendant will not get anywhere near children for the next two decades.”

The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica R. Morrison prosecuted the case.

NASHVILLE – Pierre Burns, 31, of Smyrna, Tennessee, was sentenced yesterday to 20 years in prison and 10 years of supervised release.

The exact criminal charges against Pierre Burns include two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of witness tampering for producing sexually explicit images of two minors and then calling one of the minors from jail to influence her trial testimony.

This case is a result of cooperation between HSI and the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department to rescue children being sexually exploited.

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