Tennessee Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Child Exploitation

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Tennessee man has been sentenced on charges related to the sexual exploitation of children, announced U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona.

Chief U.S. District Court Judge R. David Proctor sentenced Addison Lee Cook, also known as “Adihsun,” 34, of Nashville, Tennessee, to 360 months in prison followed by a life term of supervised release. In May, Cook pleaded guilty to production of child pornography and coercion and enticement of a minor. This conviction requires Cook to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. 

“There is no place in our communities for those who prey on vulnerable children,” said U.S. Attorney Escalona. “These cases are successful because of strong partnerships with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners. We have one common goal: to pursue justice for child victims. Thanks to the collaborative efforts of our law enforcement partners in Alabama and Tennessee, this predator has been held accountable for his actions.”

“The FBI, together with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, will stop at nothing to protect the most vulnerable members of our society,” said David R. Fitzgibbons, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Birmingham Division. “Together, we have ensured one less predator is victimizing the most innocent and vulnerable members of our community.”

According to the plea agreement, on April 12, 2024, an investigator with the University of Alabama Police Department responded to a report regarding sexual abuse allegations involving a minor victim.  The online report was made by the victim’s mother to the FBI National Threat Operations Center and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency hotline and noted that Cook used Snapchat to communicate with the minor victim who resided in Alabama. Based on this report, a federal search warrant was obtained and executed at Cook’s residence in Tennessee. While, no images or videos of the minor victim were located on devices seized during the search warrant, agents located child sexual abuse material on every device seized—a total of 16 images and four videos.

If you suspect or become aware of possible sexual exploitation of a child, please contact law enforcement. To alert the FBI Birmingham Office, call 205-326-6166. Reports can also be filed with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) or online at www.cybertipline.org.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet and to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

FBI Birmingham investigated the case along with the University of Alabama Police Department, Homewood Police Department, and FBI Nashville. Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Leann White prosecuted the case.