FAYETTE COUNTY, Ohio — A former Fayette County Sheriff’s deputy has been sentenced to at least 42 years in state prison following his conviction on dozens of felony child exploitation charges.
Justin Bennett, 36, received his sentence in Fayette County Common Pleas Court following a jury trial where he was found guilty on 124 total counts. The convictions include 12 counts of felony Pandering Sexually Oriented Matter Involving a Minor and 112 counts of felony Pandering Sexually Oriented Matter.
In addition to his prison term, Bennett was ordered to serve five years of post-release control and will be required to register as a Tier 2 sex offender for 25 years upon release. His bond was revoked immediately following the verdict, and he was held at the Fayette County Jail prior to sentencing.
Background on the Investigation
The case against Bennett began in February 2025 when the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office received an alert from the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force regarding suspicious activity originating at Bennett’s residence.
To avoid a conflict of interest, Fayette County Sheriff Vernon Stanforth requested that the Madison County Sheriff’s Office lead the criminal investigation. Bennett was placed on administrative leave within 90 minutes of the initial report and subsequently resigned from his position.
Following the execution of a search warrant at his home, detectives seized electronic devices containing child sexual abuse material, leading to his arrest. While initial charges filed last year consisted of nine counts, further forensic analysis led to the expanded 124-count indictment.
Sheriff Stanforth previously condemned Bennett’s actions, citing the breach of public trust.
“We put trust into our deputies, and we expect them to uphold the law,” Stanforth said following the initial arrest. “He had more authority than the average person, therefore you have a higher expectation and he failed that.”
