Former deputy indicted on federal charge for possession of child pornography

STATESBORO, GA:  A former Bulloch County sheriff’s deputy has been indicted by a federal grand jury with possession of child pornography.

Travis Tuenge, 43, of Statesboro, is charged with one count of Possession of Child Pornography, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The charge carries a penalty of up to 20 years in federal prison, and there is no parole in the federal system.

“Exploitation of children through child pornography is a despicable crime that will not be tolerated in the Southern District of Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “In cooperation with our law enforcement partners, we will find and prosecute these cases no matter the status of those engaging in this exploitation.”

Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The case was investigated by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force, and is being prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua S. Bearden and Marcela C. Mateo.