WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE, Ohio — A former Fayette County Sheriff’s Office deputy convicted on 124 felony counts involving child sexual abuse material has been sentenced to a significant prison term.
Justin Bennett, 36, received a sentence of 42 years and three months to 45 years and three months in an Ohio correctional facility on July 23, 2026, in Fayette County Common Pleas Court. Judge David Bender presided over the sentencing.
In addition to the prison term, Bennett was ordered to serve five years of post-release control and must register as a Tier II sex offender for 25 years upon release. This registration requires personal check-ins with law enforcement every 180 days.
A Fayette County jury found Bennett guilty on all 124 counts on June 17, 2026, after deliberating for about 90 minutes. The convictions consisted of 12 second-degree felony counts and 112 fourth-degree felony counts of pandering sexually oriented material involving a minor. He faced a potential maximum of up to 250 years in prison under Ohio law.
Case Background
The investigation began in February 2025 after the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children alerted authorities to suspicious activity linked to Bennett’s residence. To avoid any conflict of interest, Fayette County Sheriff Vernon Stanforth requested assistance from the Madison County Sheriff’s Office.
Bennett was placed on administrative leave shortly after the report and later resigned from the sheriff’s office. A search warrant led to the seizure of electronic devices, including his phone and Dropbox account, which contained the material. Initial charges were expanded following further forensic analysis.
Fayette County Prosecutor Jess Weade recommended a 50-year sentence. Defense attorney Sam Shamansky, citing Bennett’s lack of prior criminal record, requested a shorter term and indicated plans to appeal the verdict.
Sheriff Stanforth previously addressed the case, stating: “We put trust into our deputies, and we expect them to uphold the law. He had more authority than the average person, therefore you have a higher expectation and he failed that.”
