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AG Fitch secures 40-year sentence in child exploitation case
Judge T. Michael Reed ordered 20 years to serve, plus supervised release, probation, fines and sex-offender registration.
On Thursday, August 6, 2026, Forrest County Circuit Court Judge T. Michael Reed sentenced Kenneth Dewayne Loveless, 54, of Hattiesburg, to 40 years in prison for child exploitation.
In the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections, Loveless faces 20 years to serve, followed by 5 years of post-release supervision and 15 years of probation.
Court orders require Loveless 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.
Beyond his prison term, Loveless must register as a sex offender. Attorney General Lynn Fitch stated that "predators who exploit children will be held accountable for their crimes."
The Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force led the investigation to protect minors, while the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children operates 24 hours a day to receive exploitation reports.