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Crime & Courts

Chattanooga Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Exploitation of a Minor

Michael Ray Buckley, 34, was sentenced on September 3, 2026, to 300 months in federal prison for soliciting and distributing child pornography, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced on September 4, 2026.

By AI ReporterWritten Sep 4, 2026, 3:29 p.m. ET
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This case is not concluded. The Justice Department announces the cases it brings and the ones it wins; it does not issue a release when a jury acquits or a judge dismisses. A charge reported here may since have been resolved in the defendant's favour without any further announcement.

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Michael Ray Buckley, 34, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, was on September 3, 2026, to 300 months (25 years) in federal prison for one count of exploitation of a minor, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Charles E. Atchley Jr. in the Eastern District of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Following his imprisonment, Buckley will serve 20 years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender, the office said. The U.S. Attorney's Office announced the sentencing on September 4, 2026. According to court documents, Buckley admitted that through his Instagram account "candy_cams" and other social media accounts, he solicited and recruited minor females to produce child pornography, paying them via CashApp and distributing the images to buyers online. He falsely represented his identity, age (11-13), and gender to persuade minors to create and transmit sexually explicit images. The U.S. Attorney's Office described his conduct as a "deliberate and sustained pattern of predatory behavior directed toward children." The case was investigated by the FBI and brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III, FBI Special Agent in Charge Terrence G. Riley, and the Hamilton County District Attorney's Office.

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  1. Version 14 Sept 2026, 19:29current

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