Thomas Ray Hudson, 34, formerly 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 on June 10, 2025.
In August 2024, Hudson traveled to Minnesota intending to meet a 13-year-old girl from Burnett County, Wisconsin, whom he had contacted online. He was unable to locate her home and became stranded in Minneapolis. Law enforcement identified and arrested him following a tip and discovered additional victims after searching his electronic devices.
Authorities found that Hudson was an administrator of an online group with hundreds of members dedicated to the exploitation of minors. He also participated in groups where adults threatened violence against girls who refused to produce explicit content.
During sentencing, a relative of one victim described the ongoing fear experienced by the child and her family: “monster,” she said about Hudson, noting the emotional impact and the child's reluctance to go outside due to fear of him returning. Judge Peterson characterized Hudson’s actions as cruel and manipulative and remarked that this case was among the most severe 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. He commended law enforcement agencies for their efforts in bringing Hudson and others involved to justice.
FBI Milwaukee Special Agent in Charge Michael Hensle stated: “Mr. Hudson’s inexcusable actions of exploiting minors online as a group administrator with hundreds of members will not be tolerated... We will continue to leverage resources while working with our local, state, and federal partners to safeguard our communities.”
The investigation involved multiple agencies including the Burnett County Sheriff’s Office; Kentucky State Police; Bothell Police Department (Washington); FBI field offices across several states; as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman leading prosecution efforts.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a national initiative aimed at combating child sexual exploitation through collaboration between federal, state, and local authorities. More information about PSC can be found at www.justice.gov/psc.
Parents and community members are encouraged by the U.S. Attorney’s Office to discuss internet safety with children using resources such as NCMEC's NetSmartz program at missingkids.org/NetSmartz/home.
