PRESS RELEASE FROM THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY’S OFFICE – WEST DISTRICT OF TENNESSEE:

Registered sex offender, sentenced to over 19 years in prison

Jackson, TN – A registered sex offender from Missouri was recently sentenced to prison. Reagan Fondren, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today.

According to the information presented in court, Jayson Lance Luther, 32met a minor child who lives in Dyersburg, TN at a holiday event in December 2022. Luther and the minor child exchanged phone numbers and shortly thereafter began texting each other. In January 2023, the minor child’s parent discovered the messages and reported them to the police. The investigation revealed more than 1,200 pages of messages between Luther and the minor child. Many of the texts were sexually explicit.

On August 13, 2024, Luther pleaded guilty to knowingly enticing a minor to engage in any sexual activity for which a person can be charged. United States District Court Judge S. Thomas Anderson sentenced Luther to 235 months in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

“We are committed to protecting all citizens of this district, but most importantly the young and vulnerable,” said Acting United States Attorney Fondren. “This sentence reflects the seriousness of this crime and we will continue to work to ensure that the dangerous perpetrators are brought to justice.”

Danny H. Goodman, Jr., Attorney General for the 29th District of Tennessee, who appointed Andrew Hays as Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Western District, said, “The partnership that the 29th Judicial District of Tennessee has established with the State Attorney’s Office United for the Western District of Tennessee has been invaluable to the citizens of our district. This case is a perfect example of this teamwork that allows us to remove dangerous individuals from our communities to keep citizens and children safe.”

The case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Dyersburg Police Department.

Acting United States Attorney Reagan Fondren thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Hays for the Western District of Tennessee, who prosecuted the case, as well as the law enforcement partners who investigated the case.

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