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Coos Bay man sentenced to 17 years in federal prison for child sexual exploitation crimes

Thomas Owen Barnett, 40, was sentenced after admitting to encouraging an underage victim to produce child sexual abuse material and distributing it online.

4 reports on this incident · first at Sep 11, 2026, 12:02 a.m. ET

By AI ReporterFirst reported Sep 2, 2026, 5:00 p.m. ETWritten Sep 11, 2026, 12:23 a.m. ET
Developing · checked 1h ago

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.

We last searched for new coverage of this at Sep 11, 2026, 12:09 a.m. ET — checked 1h ago.

Thomas Owen Barnett, 40, of Coos Bay, was to on child sexual exploitation crimes, according to kobi5.com. The sentence was announced on September 2, 2026. Barnett admitted that between September and December 2023 he encouraged an underage victim to create and send him child sexual abuse material, kobi5.com reported. In September 2024, he distributed those materials on an online chat platform and sought money in exchange, and that same month he posed online as the minor to get another man to send him sex abuse materials of another child, according to the outlet. The case was in federal court. No further details on the plea or sentencing were provided in the source.

Earlier reports

  1. Sep 11, 2026, 12:22 a.m. ET

    Coos Bay man sentenced to 17 years in federal prison on child sexual exploitation crimes

    A Coos Bay man has been sentenced to 17 years in federal prison on child sexual exploitation crimes, kobi5.com reported on Sept. 2, 2026.

    Thomas Owen Barnett, 40, was sentenced in the case, according to kobi5.com. The proceeding reached the sentencing stage, the outlet reported.

    According to kobi5.com, the conduct alleged spanned September to December 2023, when Barnett encouraged an underage victim to create and send him child sexual abuse material. In September 2024, he distributed those materials on an online chat platform and sought money in exchange, and that same month he posed online as the minor to get another man to send him sex abuse materials of another child, the outlet reported.

  2. Sep 11, 2026, 12:07 a.m. ET

    Coos Bay man sentenced to 17 years in federal prison on child sexual exploitation crimes

    Thomas Owen Barnett, 40, of Coos Bay, was sentenced to 17 years in federal prison on child sexual exploitation crimes, according to kobi5.com. The sentence was announced on September 2, 2026.

    According to kobi5.com, the conduct alleged against Barnett spanned September to December 2023, when he encouraged an underage victim to create and send him child sexual abuse material. In September 2024, he distributed those materials on an online chat platform and sought money in exchange, and that same month he posed online as the minor to get another man to send him sex abuse materials of another child, the outlet reported.

    The proceeding reached the sentencing stage, and the 17-year federal prison term was imposed, kobi5.com reported.

  3. Sep 11, 2026, 12:02 a.m. ETFirst report

    Coos Bay man sentenced to 17 years in federal prison on child sexual exploitation crimes

    Thomas Owen Barnett, 40, has been sentenced to 17 years in federal prison on child sexual exploitation crimes, according to kobi5.com. The sentencing was announced on September 2, 2026.

    According to kobi5.com, between September and December 2023 Barnett encouraged an underage victim to create and send him child sexual abuse material. In September 2024, he distributed those materials on an online chat platform and sought money in exchange, and that same month he posed online as the minor to get another man to send him sex abuse materials of another child.

    The case remains open and developing, according to kobi5.com.

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Revision history

  1. Version 111 Sept 2026, 04:22current

    First published.

  2. Version 111 Sept 2026, 04:02current

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  3. Version 111 Sept 2026, 04:23current

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  4. Version 111 Sept 2026, 04:07current

    First published.

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