Coast veteran to serve 18 years in prison after confessing to child porn addiction in court
LONG BEACH, Miss. (WLOX) — A Coast veteran who admitted to a child pornography addiction in court was sentenced in Harrison County Circuit Court Monday.
RELATED: Coast veteran confesses to child porn addiction (July 7, 2026)
Robert Wilson, Jr. pleaded guilty to child exploitation two weeks ago. During the hearing, Wilson confessed to viewing and downloading child pornography for the last 20 years.
“I would just like to say I feel incredibly remorseful and regretful for my actions and the impact it has had on society,” Wilson testified during the sentencing hearing. “I hate that I brought this evil into this world.”
The case began with an undercover operation led by Attorney General Lynn Fitch’s office, which investigated and prosecuted the case with help from the Long Beach Police Department and the FBI.
“During our operation, we found thousands of images of child sexual abuse material stored on Wilson’s electronic devices,” said Fitch. “We are committed to protecting our children from abuse and exploitation by predators online. I am grateful to our partners at the FBI and the Long Beach Police Department for their work to secure justice in this case and make the internet a little safer.”
State investigators raided Wilson’s Long Beach home in March 2025. There, they seized a hard drive with more than 3,000 images and 21 videos of child sexual abuse material.
Child exploitation carries a maximum prison sentence of 40 years.
Gary Williams, a prosecutor with the State Attorney General’s Office, recommended Wilson serve 10 years in prison day-for-day, followed by five years of probation. Williams said the lenient recommendation reflected Wilson’s cooperation and truthfulness in the investigation.
In front of Judge Lisa P. Dodson, Wilson’s defense attorney Sean Buckley said his client had previously sought therapy for the child porn addiction. Wilson became vulnerable when he stopped attending therapy, Buckley told the judge.
“Your attorney used the word ‘vulnerable’ in talking about you,” Judge Dodson told Wilson. “You, sir, are not ‘vulnerable.’ The children were vulnerable, and people like you are the reason they continue to be victimized. And so, frankly, my initial reaction was to give you the full 40 years. I know that that’s not fair because this is not, unfortunately, the worst case that this court has seen, and that’s what the top of the sentencing range is reserved for.”
Judge Dodson sentenced Wilson to serve 18 years in prison day-for-day, followed by five years of probation.
“This is the best compromise I can come up with in my own mind and, frankly, still live with it,” Dodson said to Wilson. “When you are released, at least these children who you were viewing will be adults and hopefully able to protect themselves from people like you.”
Wilson was ordered to pay $1,000 to the Victims of Human Trafficking and Commercial Sexual Exploitation Fund and $1,000 to the Mississippi Children’s Trust Fund. He must also register as a sex offender and not have contact with anyone under the age of 18, including his own pre-teen son, unless another adult is in the room.
Those with information about a child being sexually exploited online are asked to call 1-800-843-5678 or report it online at www.cybertipline.org.
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