A Grovetown man will spend 15 years in federal prison for creating and possessing images depicting the sexual exploitation of a child.
Michael Benjamin Buckner, 39, pleaded guilty in November to the attempted production of child pornography. He and his wife, Amber Buckner, 37, had been arrested in October 2021 for cruelty to children by Grovetown Police officers, who were alerted by officers of the Columbia County Board of Education police. A search of Buckner’s cell phone revealed photos depicting the sexual exploitation of children, according to a news release.
“Investigations and prosecutions of predators continue to be a priority in our efforts to protect the most vulnerable among us,” said Jill Steinberg, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “We commend our law enforcement partners for their vigilance in following the evidence to hold Michael Buckner accountable.”
U.S. District Court Judge Dudley H. Bowen sentenced Buckner to 15 years in prison, fined him $3,500, ordered him to register as a sex offender and to serve 15 years of supervised release after his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Buckner also has pending charges in Columbia County. Amber Buckner was sentenced to 10 years in state prison for cruelty to children.
“Our community and its children are much safer with this lengthy prison sentence handed down to (Michael) Buckner,” said Keri Farley, special agent in charge of FBI Atlanta. The case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney and Project Safe Childhood Coordinator Tara M. Lyons.
Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 800-843-5678, or go to https://report.cybertip.org/.
