SHELBYVILLE MAN CHARGED WITH CHILD SEX CRIMES AFTER TBI INVESTIGATION

BEDFORD COUNTY – Special agents assigned to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s Cybercrime & Digital Evidence Unit have arrested and charged a Shelbyville man accused of soliciting a sexual relationship with a juvenile and distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

Agents began investigating the case after receiving information from the San Bernardino (CA) Police Department concerning a juvenile who reported a man solicited her for an online sexual relationship through the online games Roblox and Call of Duty. Authorities soon identified the man as Ricky Lee Bonifant, Jr. (DOB 10/8/1984). As the investigation progressed, agents additionally determined Bonifant possessed and distributed CSAM on several online platforms.

On Wednesday, agents arrested the Shelbyville man and charged him with two counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, one count of Aggravated Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, one count of Solicitation of a Minor, and two counts of Solicitation of a Minor by Electronic Means. Agents subsequently booked Bonifant into the Bedford County Jail, where, at the time of this release, he remained in custody with a bond set at $100,000.

The charges and allegations referenced in this release are merely accusations of criminal conduct and not evidence. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and convicted through due process of law.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is an ICAC affiliate of the Tennessee ICAC Task Force. Anyone with information about these cases or other cases of online child exploitation should contact the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Tipline at 1-800-TBI-FIND, [email protected], or report via the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) CyberTipline at CyberTipline.org.

Parents seeking additional information about cybercrime, child exploitation, and how best to safeguard their loved ones can visit www.NetSmartz.org for a variety of topical, age-appropriate resources.

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