MS Coast man filmed himself having sex with a 14-year-old girl. Now, he’s headed to prison

A Pascagoula man is headed to prison for 20 years for distributing sexually explicit videos and images of himself having sex with a 14-year-old girl in Jackson County.

Judge Sul Ozerden imposed the sentence against Tyrone C. Lewis, 22, in federal court in Gulfport on Thursday. In addition to prison, the judge sentenced Lewis to an additional 20 years of post-release supervision and ordered him to pay $3,000 in restitution plus an additional $10,000 for other fees.

According to prosecutors, Lewis used his cellphone to film himself having sex with the minor in Jackson County in 2023 and then shared some of the material with the minor in text messages.

During a review of his cellphone, authorities found text messages that showed Lewis knew the minor was under the age of 18, Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee Smith said.

Lewis pleaded guilty to the federal offense in July.

Homeland Security Investigations and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department investigated the case.

Margaret Baker

Sun Herald

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Margaret is an investigative reporter whose search for truth exposed corrupt sheriffs, a police chief and various jailers and led to the first prosecution of a federal hate crime for the murder of a transgendered person. She worked on the Sun Herald’s Pulitzer Prize-winning Hurricane Katrina team. When she pursues a big story, she is relentless.