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The United States District Court of Middle Tennessee has taken the case of Putnam County Commissioner Jimmy Neal under advisement.
A preliminary hearing occurred Thursday in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Alistair Newbern. The court will reconvene Monday at 2:00 p.m. to continue the hearing.
Neal was charged and arrested last month by federal agents for the possession, receipt and distribution of child pornography.
The FBI investigation began in 2021. According to details released by U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee Mark H. Wildasin, Neal allegedly administered a group on the Kik app. The group included users who viewed and shared child pornography including nude photos of pre-pubescent girls. The photos focused on the genital area.
If convicted, Neal could face a mandatory five years in prison with a sentence up to 20 years possible.
The investigation began after an Oklahoma man, also a user in the KIK group, was arrested. Other members of the group were identified as part of that investigation, including Neal who allegedly went by the user name “TennesseeMaster.”
