Former Crossville radio personality Joseph Brandon, age 50, of Knoxville, and Michael David Bledsoe, age 47, of Lansing, Michigan, were sentenced to a combined 984 months in federal prison for their roles in a conspiracy to sexually exploit children online.

Brandon received 660 months (55 years) and Bledsoe received 324 months (27 years), with 10 years and 5 years of supervised release, respectively.

The men met in an online chat group focused on the exploitation of minor girls. They formed an agreement in which Bledsoe provided social media and biographical details about minor girls in Michigan, while Brandon used fake accounts—posing as a 15-year-old girl on platforms like Kik and Snapchat—to deceive and solicit sexually explicit images and videos from the victims.

The FBI investigation began with a search of Bledsoe’s home in December 2024, where agents found child sexual abuse material and incriminating messages with Brandon. This evidence led to a raid on Brandon’s home in Tennessee on April 30, 2025, uncovering thousands of additional images and videos of child sexual abuse. Brandon, a former Crossville and Rockwood radio personality and self-described actor, also admitted to running similar schemes with others. Both men pleaded guilty.

U.S. District Judge Hala Jarbou described the misconduct as “off the charts.” Officials, including U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey and FBI Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Runyan, emphasized that those who exploit children through online deception and catfishing will face decades in prison. The case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood.