Mississippi Man Who Ran Online Exploitation Group Gets 22 Years For Targeting 13-Year-Old Wisconsin Girl

MADISON, WI — A Mississippi man who tried to meet a 13-year-old Wisconsin girl he met online has been sentenced to more than two decades in federal prison, prosecutors announced.

Thomas Ray Hudson, 34, most recently of Grenada, Mississippi, was sentenced last week by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 22 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release.

He pleaded guilty in June to producing child pornography, according to Acting U.S. Attorney Chadwick M. Elgersma.

In August 2024, Hudson flew to Minnesota intending to meet a 13-year-old girl in Burnett County, Wisconsin.

Authorities said the attempt failed when he was unable to locate her home and became stranded in Minneapolis. Law enforcement later identified him through a tip, searched his electronics, and uncovered multiple other victims.

Investigators also discovered that Hudson was an administrator of an online group with hundreds of members dedicated to child exploitation. Prosecutors said he also participated in forums where adults threatened violence against girls who did not produce explicit material.

At sentencing, a relative of one of the victims called Hudson a "monster" and described how the child remains afraid to leave her home. Judge Peterson said Hudson’s actions were among the worst cases he had ever seen, calling the conduct cruel and manipulative.

"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," Elgersma said in a statement.

FBI Milwaukee Special Agent in Charge Michael Hensle said Hudson’s crimes will not be tolerated: "The men and women of the FBI are committed to identifying and investigating those who victimize children."

The investigation involved the Burnett County Sheriff’s Office, the Kentucky State Police, the Bothell (Washington) Police Department, and multiple FBI field offices across the country. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman prosecuted the case.

The case was part of Project Safe Childhood, a national initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse.