Tad Cummins, 50, faces up to life in prison for transporting a minor across state lines for sex

A 50-year-old man from Columbia, Tennessee, has been ordered to be held in custody, pending his subsequent transfer to the Middle District of Tennessee, to await trial on the charge of transporting a minor across state lines for the purpose of engaging in unlawful sexual activity. Tad Cummins was charged in a criminal complaint on April 20, 2017, after being located in Cecilville, California, with the 15-year-old female victim. The victim and Cummins had been the subject of a nationwide search by law enforcement, after leaving the Columbia, Tennessee area on March 13, 2017.

Cummins was arrested by FBI agents on Friday, April 21, 2017, while in the custody of the Siskiyou County, California Sheriff. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kendall J. Newman this afternoon for a detention hearing. Magistrate Judge Newman ordered that he be transferred to the Middle District of Tennessee as soon as possible for further proceedings.

According to the complaint, Cummins and the 15-year-old had been on the run for nearly a month before being located in Cecilville, California. The FBI and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation had been working tirelessly to track down the pair, who had been the subject of a nationwide search.

Cummins faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, up to life, if convicted. The charges brought by this complaint are merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Phil Wehby and Sara Beth Myers of the Middle District of Tennessee and Jason Hitt of the Eastern District of California.

The FBI and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation led the investigation in this case. Their dedication and hard work led to the safe recovery of the victim and the apprehension of Cummins.

While the case against Cummins is ongoing, one thing is clear: the safety and well-being of children must always be the top priority. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and bring you updates as more information becomes available.

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