Lincoln County Man Charged in TBI Child Exploitation Case

 

LINCOLN COUNTY – Special agents assigned to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Squad have obtained indictments charging an Ardmore man in connection to an ongoing child exploitation case.

In 2023, agents received a tip concerning a subject using the online messaging platform Kik to talk about sexually abusing children and share images depicting the crimes.  Agents subsequently identified Larry Cunningham (DOB 3-17-1961) as the person responsible for the crimes.

On March 18th, the Lincoln County Grand Jury returned indictments charging Cunningham with one count of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor – Over 100 Images, two counts of Aggravated Sexual Exploitation – Over 25 Images, 32 counts of Especially Aggravated Production, 32 counts of Aggravated Unlawful Photography, 12 counts of Sexual Battery by an Authority Figure, and one count of Aggravated Child Abuse. Cunningham was booked into the Lincoln County jail on $1,000,000 bond. He subsequently bonded out of jail.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is an ICAC affiliate of the Tennessee ICAC Task Force. Anyone with information about these cases or other cases of online child exploitation should contact the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Tipline at 1-800-TBI-FIND, TipsToTBI@tbi.tn.gov, or report via the NCMEC CyberTipline at CyberTipline.org.

Parents seeking additional information about cybercrime, child exploitation, and how best to safeguard their loved ones can visit http://www.NetSmartz.org for a variety of topical, age-appropriate resources.

The charges and allegations referenced in this release are merely accusations of criminal conduct and not evidence. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and convicted through due process of law.

NOTE: There may be individuals with information that could help with this ongoing investigation. For that reason, the TBI is releasing Cunningham’s booking photograph and urges anyone with information to contact the TBI at 1-800-TBI-FIND.

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                      Overview

NCMEC’s CyberTipline is the nation’s centralized reporting system for the online exploitation of children. The public and electronic service providers can make reports of suspected online enticement of children for sexual acts, child sexual molestation, child sexual abuse material, child sex tourism, child sex trafficking, unsolicited obscene materials sent to a child, misleading domain names, and misleading words or digital images on the internet.

Every child deserves a safe childhood.

What Happens to Information in a CyberTip?

NCMEC staff review each tip and work to find a potential location for the incident reported so that it may be made available to the appropriate law-enforcement agency for possible investigation. We also use the information from our CyberTipline reports to help shape our prevention and safety messages.

Is Your Image Out There?

Get Support

One of the worst things about having an explicit image online is feeling like you’re facing everything alone. But you have people who care for you and want to help. Reach out to them!

A trusted adult can offer advice, help you report, and help you deal with other issues. It could be your mom, dad, an aunt, a school counselor, or anyone you trust and are comfortable talking to. You can also “self report” by making a report on your own to the CyberTipline.

Families of exploited children often feel alone in their struggle and overwhelmed by the issues affecting their lives. NCMEC provides assistance and support to victims and families such as crisis intervention and local counseling referrals to appropriate professionals. Additionally, NCMEC’s Team HOPE is a volunteer program that connects families to others who have experienced the crisis of a sexually exploited child.

Don't Give Up

Having a sexually exploitative image of yourself exposed online is a scary experience. It can make you feel vulnerable and isolated, but remember, others have been in the same situation as you – and they’ve overcome it. Learn the steps you can take to limit the spread of the content.

By the Numbers

In 2023, reports made to the CyberTipline rose more than 12% from the previous year, surpassing 36.2 million reports.

There were 105,653,162 data files reported to the CyberTipline in 2023.

Reports of online enticement increased by more than 300% from 44,155 in 2021 to 186,819 in 2023. 

Find more data in the CyberTipline Report.

By the Numbers

In 2022:

Find more data in the CyberTipline Report.

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Learn more about online exploitation and safety.

Coping with Child Sexual Abuse (CSAM) Exposure For Families

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Production and Active Trading of Child Sexual Exploitation Images Depicting Identified Victims

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Trends Identified in CyberTipline Sextortion Reports

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The Online Enticement of Children: An In-Depth Analysis of CyberTipline Reports

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How to Promote the CyberTipline on Your Website

Report It

If you think you have seen a missing child, or suspect a child may be sexually exploited, contact the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Report Child Sexual Exploitation

Use the CyberTipline to report child sexual exploitation.

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