Gainesville Man Convicted of Production, Receipt, and Possession of Child Pornography

GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – A federal jury in Gainesville has convicted John Ernst Tennant, Jr., 70, of Gainesville, on charges of production, receipt, and possession of child pornography. The guilty verdict, reached by the jury today at the conclusion of a 3-day trial, was announced by Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

“The prosecution of persons who sexually victimize children is a priority of this District,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Coody. “With the assistance of our law enforcement partners, we will ensure that those who engage in such heinous conduct will be held accountable for their actions.”

Tennant’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 17, 2021, at 2:00 pm, at the United States Courthouse in Gainesville before the Honorable Allen Winsor. Tennant faces a mandatory minimum term of fifteen years imprisonment to Life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a maximum term of Life on supervised release.

This conviction was the result of a collaborative investigation between the Gainesville Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation Jacksonville Division as part of the North Florida Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Frank Williams prosecuted this case.

The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.