Desoto County Man Sentenced to 17.5 Years for Distributing Child Porn

The Oxford Police Department assisted in an investigation into a Desoto County man who was sentenced to 17+ years in prison for distributing child porn.

Jessie Edward Winters, 39, was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Court Judge Sharion Aycock to 210 months in federal prison followed by 10 years of supervised release for distributing child sexual abuse material through a mobile messaging applicationn.

The investigation began after the Department of Homeland Security received information from the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children that a mobile messaging application user was distributing images and videos of child sexual abuse material.

Independently, the Oxford Police Department received similar information from the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. After OPD determined the crime took place outside of Oxford, they turned the investigation over to the Department of Homeland Security.

The agencies coordinated an investigation that revealed Winters used the application on his cell phone to engage with other users in a chat group in distributing and receiving the material.

Winters possessed over 200 images and 200 videos, some involving prepubescent children.

“The distribution of child pornography is a particularly reprehensible crime, and the defendant deserves every minute of every day of this sentence,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “This conviction and sentence highlight the combined efforts of our state and local partners with federal investigators and prosecutors to hold accountable those who take pleasure in the sexual abuse of children.”

The Desoto County Sheriff’s Department assisted in the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Addison prosecuted the case.