Tyrone Lewis, Distribution of Child Pornography, Mississippi 2024

A Pascagoula, Mississippi man has pleaded guilty to distributing images of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

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.

Lewis pleaded guilty to distribution of images of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

He is scheduled to be sentenced on October 10, 2024, and faces up to twenty years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Acting 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 is prosecuting 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.