Repeat Ga. sex offender with ‘vast quantity’ of child sex abuse materials sentenced to prison

CARTERSVILLE, Ga. — A convicted sex offender from Cartersville was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for possessing thousands of digital images and videos depicting the rape and sexual abuse of children.

According to U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan, in July 2023, after getting a tip that someone was using a cell phone associated with Jerry Joseph Southern to share videos and images of child sexual abuse, federal agents and local law enforcement executed a search warrant at his Cartersville home.

During their search, agents found a cell phone hidden in an air vent.

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A search of the phone revealed that Southern received, collected, and distributed a “vast quantity” of child sex abuse materials.

Southern was convicted in 2013 of multiple counts of sexual exploitation of a child.

He was put on probation and required to register as a sex offender after serving a prison term.

But he repeatedly violated his probation, putting him back in prison in 2014, 2019, and 2020.

Southern was sentenced to 10 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release, plus ordered to pay restitution of $28,500.

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Southern pleaded guilty to possession of a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct on Dec. 19, 2023.

“Stopping those like Southern that victimize children by viewing and sharing these horrific images of children is one of our highest priorities,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Anthony J. Patrone who oversees Homeland Security Investigations operations in Georgia and Alabama. “Thanks to the great work done by our agents, along with our state, local and federal partners, we were able to remove a serious threat from our community and we will continue to pursue those who commit these evil acts.”

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