Mississippi Man Convicted by Federal Jury of Participating in a Criminal Conspiracy to Distribute Child Sexual Abuse Material

A federal jury convicted Justin Lee Plunk, 39, of Corinth, Mississippi, for conspiring to distribute and distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) for profit on Instagram and Telegram.

"Justin Plunk exploited the most vulnerable members of our society to turn a profit," said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva for the Justice Department's Criminal Division. "He operated a business that trafficked in horrific images of the sexual exploitation of children both in America and abroad. The verdict in this case sends a strong message that such horrific and depraved conduct will be met with accountability."

"Justin Plunk was an active participant in a conspiracy that, for years, preyed upon and sexually exploited children for profit through a variety of online platforms, including popular social media and children's gaming apps and mobile payment services," said U.S. Attorney Troy Rivetti for the Western District of Pennsylvania. "Although it can never undo the harm these victims experienced, this verdict holds Plunk responsible for his role in the recruitment and abuse of those minors, and is another example of our office's commitment to working with our law enforcement partners at all levels to protect children from such crimes and to prosecute to the fullest extent of the law predators who exploit and conspire to exploit minors."

"Today's verdict reflects the jury's clear recognition of the harm caused by those who exploit children for their own profit," said Special Agent in Charge Richard Evanchec of the FBI's Pittsburgh Field Office Our children are precious, and their safety must remain our highest priority. We are grateful for the dedicated FBI employees who work every day to protect the most vulnerable among us and to ensure that those who prey on them are brought to justice."

According to court documents and information provided during the trial, the criminal conspiracy operated online from at least 2021 to 2024. The conspiracy recruited minor girls, including girls as young as 10 years old, to create "packages" of CSAM images and videos and participate in live video calls with customers. The conspiracy operated over numerous platforms, including Instagram, Snapchat, and Telegram. One minor girl was introduced to the conspiracy on Roblox. The conspiracy also used multiple payment methods, including CashApp, Venmo, Walmart, and Roblox gift cards. Investigation revealed that Plunk was connected to the conspiracy in numerous ways, including receiving the proceeds of the conspiracy - in excess of $57,000 - in the form of cash transfers and Walmart gift cards. Plunk had previously been convicted of enticement of a child for sexual purposes in Mississippi in 2016.

Plunk is facing a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 26, 2027. A federal district judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

FBI Pittsburgh investigated the case, with assistance from the Mississippi Attorney General's Office.

Trial Attorney Gwendelynn Bills of the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Heidi Grogan for the Western District of Pennsylvania prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit justice.gov/psc and click on the "Resources" tab on the left of the page.