Tanner Michael Jackson, Distribution of Child Sex Abuse Images, Florida 2023

Tanner Michael Jackson, a U.S. Navy petty officer, Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Child Sex Abuse Images

Jacksonville, Florida – In a disturbing case of a military personnel’s involvement in child sex abuse, Tanner Michael Jackson, a 25-year-old U.S. Navy petty officer, has been sentenced to 7 years in federal prison for distributing child sex abuse images. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis on March 17, 2023.

According to the plea agreement, in early 2022, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office received a tip that suspected child sexual abuse material had been shared via a social media application. Law enforcement obtained the subscriber information for the user who had sent the files and the internet protocol address was traced to Jackson.

On August 22, 2022, law enforcement investigators executed a federal search warrant at Jackson’s residence and seized his phone. A forensic review of the phone yielded multiple files of child sexual abuse material.

“Those who choose to violate the innocence of children come from all walks of life, and unfortunately that includes those who don the uniform of this country’s military and take an oath to serve,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge K. Jim Phillips. “Thanks to the partnerships we have in the Northeast Florida INTERCEPT Task Force, including the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and with assistance from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, this sailor has lost the freedoms he swore to protect and will no longer be able to victimize innocent and vulnerable children.”

This case was investigated by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Northeast Florida INTERCEPT Task Force, and the Naval Criminal Investigation Service. It was prosecuted by former Assistant United States Attorney Kelly Karase and Assistant United States Attorney Brenna Falzetta.

The court also ordered Jackson to serve 20 years of supervised release and register as a sex offender. In addition, he was ordered to pay $5,000 in restitution to a victim of his offense.

This case is another example of the efforts of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the government to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.

Tanner Michael Jackson, a U.S. Navy petty officer, was found guilty of distributing child sex abuse images, a serious offense that has severe consequences. His sentence serves as a reminder of the gravity of such crimes and the efforts of law enforcement agencies to bring perpetrators to justice.

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