In a coordinated FBI operation, Joseph Brandon, a former Crossville and Rockwood radio personality, Rockwood native, and self-described actor from Powell, Tennessee, was arrested on April 30, 2025, following a raid on his home at 7612 Cedarcrest Dr. Brandon, also known as Josh Brandon, faces charges of conspiracy to sexually exploit a child for allegedly collaborating with Michael Bledsoe of Haslett, Michigan, to solicit nude images from a 15-year-old girl, a relative of Bledsoe.

The two men reportedly posed as a young girl on platforms like Kik and Snapchat to deceive the minor into sending explicit content, with court documents detailing their plans and conversations, including Bledsoe’s use of AI to create fake nude images of the victim. The FBI’s investigation began with a search of Bledsoe’s Michigan home on December 13, 2024, where child sexual abuse material and incriminating chats with Brandon were found, linking the two men.

Brandon admitted to running similar schemes with other men online, using multiple Snapchat profiles to target minors. After appearing before a Knoxville judge on May 1, 2025, Brandon is set to be transferred to Michigan, where the case originates.