FAYETTE COUNTY, Ohio — A former Fayette County Sheriff’s deputy has been found guilty on 124 counts related to child sexual abuse material following a court proceeding this week.
Justin Bennett appeared before a Fayette County judge and was convicted on all 124 counts of pandering sexually oriented material involving a minor. The verdict comes more than a year after Bennett was initially charged with nine counts involving the possession of child pornography.
The case drew significant attention in Fayette County due to Bennett’s position as a law enforcement officer at the time of the allegations.
Following Bennett’s arrest last year, Fayette County Sheriff Vernon Stanforth publicly condemned the allegations, emphasizing the trust placed in deputies by the community.
“We put trust into our deputies, and we expect them to uphold the law,” Stanforth said at the time. “He had more authority than the average person, therefore you have a higher expectation and he failed that.”
According to the sheriff, Bennett was placed on administrative leave within 90 minutes of the sheriff’s office learning of the accusations. Bennett later resigned from his position.
Following the guilty verdict, Bennett’s bond was revoked, and he was taken into custody at the Fayette County Jail, where he will remain pending sentencing.
Sentencing is scheduled for July. Bennett could face a lengthy prison term as a result of the convictions.
The investigation and prosecution were handled through the Fayette County court system, with the charges stemming from allegations involving child sexual abuse material.
Additional details regarding Bennett’s sentence are expected following the July hearing.
