Thomas Ray Hudson, 34, of Grenada, Mississippi, has been sentenced to 22 years in federal prison for producing child pornography. The sentence was handed down by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson and will be followed by a lifetime of supervised release. Hudson pleaded guilty to the charge on June 10, 2025.
In August 2024, Hudson traveled to Minnesota with the intention of meeting a 13-year-old girl in Burnett County, Wisconsin, after communicating with her online. He was unable to locate her home and became stranded in Minneapolis. Following a tip to law enforcement, Hudson was identified and arrested. A search of his electronic devices led authorities to identify multiple additional victims.
Investigators discovered that Hudson served as an administrator for an online group with hundreds of members focused on child exploitation. He also participated in groups where adults threatened violence against minor girls who did not produce sexually explicit material for group members.
During the sentencing hearing, a relative of one victim described the emotional harm caused by Hudson’s actions and said the child now fears going outside due to concerns about Hudson returning. Judge Peterson characterized Hudson’s behavior as cruel and manipulative and stated it was among the worst cases he had seen.
“Today’s sentencing reaffirms my office’s steadfast commitment to protecting our children, the most vulnerable among us, from predators who exploit and harm them online,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Chadwick M. Elgersma. Elgersma commended law enforcement officers nationwide for their efforts in bringing Hudson and others involved to justice.
FBI Milwaukee Special Agent in Charge Michael Hensle commented: “Mr. Hudson’s inexcusable actions of exploiting minors online as a group administrator with hundreds of members will not be tolerated. The men and women of the FBI are committed to identifying and investigating those who victimize children. We will continue to leverage resources while working with our local, state, and federal partners to safeguard our communities.”
The investigation included participation from several agencies: Burnett County Sheriff’s Office; Kentucky State Police; Bothell Police Department in Washington; and FBI field offices across multiple states including Wisconsin, Kentucky, Alabama, Georgia, Washington, Oregon, Tennessee, and Mississippi. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a national initiative that brings together federal, state, and local resources to address child sexual exploitation online and rescue victims. More information about PSC can be found at www.justice.gov/psc.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office encourages parents and community members to discuss internet safety with children using resources such as NCMEC’s NetSmartz website at missingkids.org/NetSmartz/home.
