A local man has been given an eight-year sentence after pleading guilty to sexual exploitation of a minor.
Steven Joseph Morgan, 36, appeared Thursday before Criminal Court Judge Amanda Dunn.
Authorities said Morgan previously worked for an East Tennessee children's home and for a local Christian ministry. The children's home said he was fired in 2018 after working there for about a year.
Prosecutor Charlie Minor said in June of last year that Homeland Security investigators here were contacted by the San Diego office. An undercover agent had been in contact online with someone from this area with an interest in child sexual material.
The person was involved with "Frankly Sexual" and "Young Girl With Low Standards" among other online groups.
The individual, who was living at the time at the Williamsburg Apartments in Red Bank, reached out to an undercover agent concerning explicit child sex materials.
Agents eventually converged on the man's apartment with a search warrant. He was in his car getting ready to leave when agents arrived.
Morgan agreed to be interviewed and admitted that he had traded in child pornography.
He was found to have hundreds of child sex images as well as numerous videos. Agents were able to identity some of the children in the images and videos.
A sentencing hearing will be July 6 at 1:30 p.m.
Morgan is asking that he be allowed to serve the time in community corrections rather than go to state prison.