Columbia County man sentenced to federal prison for production of child pornography

AUGUSTA, GA:  A Columbia County man has been sentenced to federal jail for creating and possessing photographs depicting the sexual exploitation of a kid.

Michael Benjamin Buckner, 39, of Grovetown, Ga., was sentenced to fifteen years in jail after beforehand pleading responsible to Tried Manufacturing of Youngster Pornography, stated Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Legal professional for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court docket Decide Dudley H. Bowen additionally fined Buckner $3,500, ordered him to register as a intercourse offender and to serve 15 years of supervised launch upon completion of his jail time period. There isn’t a parole within the federal system.

“Investigations and prosecutions of predators proceed to be a precedence in our efforts to guard probably the most susceptible amongst us,” stated U.S. Legal professional Steinberg. “We commend our legislation enforcement companions for his or her vigilance in following the proof to carry Michael Buckner accountable.”

As described in court docket paperwork and testimony, investigators from the Grovetown Division of Public Security arrested Buckner and his spouse, Amber Buckner, 37, in October 2021 on a state cost of cruelty to youngsters after they had been alerted by officers from the Columbia County Board of Training Police. In a subsequent search of the contents of Michael Buckner’s cellular phone, investigators and FBI brokers found pictures depicting sexually specific photographs of youngsters.

Along with his federal sentence, Michael Buckner additionally faces state prosecution for cruelty to youngsters. Amber Buckner is serving a 10-year jail sentence after pleading responsible in December 2022 to a state cost of cruelty to youngsters.

“Our group and its youngsters are a lot safer with this prolonged jail sentence handed all the way down to Buckner,” stated Keri Farley, Particular Agent in Cost of FBI Atlanta. “We attempt day by day to guard our youngsters and can proceed to make use of each legislation enforcement useful resource obtainable to determine and prosecute people who exploit youngsters in such a way.”

The case was investigated by the FBI, the Grovetown Division of Public Security, and the Columbia County Board of Training Police Division, and prosecuted for the US by Assistant U.S. Legal professional and Undertaking Secure Childhood Coordinator Tara M. Lyons, Deputy Chief of the Prison Division of the U.S. Legal professional’s Workplace for the Southern District of Georgia.

Anybody with data on suspected little one sexual exploitation can contact the Nationwide Heart for Lacking and Exploited Youngsters at 800-843-5678, or https://report.cybertip.org/.