Saulsbury man arrested on child exploitation charges

HARDEMAN COUNTY, Tenn. – An investigator assigned to the Hardeman County Sheriff’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force has arrested and charged a Saulsbury resident in connection with an ongoing child exploitation investigation.

The Sheriff’s Office received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) allegedly uploaded by an individual later identified as John K. Crigler of Saulsbury, TN.

On February 24, 2026, with assistance from the Bolivar Police Department and the Whiteville Police Department, the Hardeman County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at Crigler’s residence. Crigler was taken into custody at the scene. Multiple electronic devices were seized and will undergo forensic examination as part of the investigation.

Crigler was transported to the Hardeman County Jail and booked on six counts of Aggravated Sexual Exploitation of a Minor. The investigation remains active, and additional charges are pending.

The Hardeman County Sheriff’s Office is an affiliate of the Tennessee ICAC Task Force. Anyone with information related to this case or other incidents involving online child exploitation is encouraged to contact the Hardeman County Sheriff’s Office at 731-658-3971, submit a report through the Hardeman County Sheriff’s Office mobile app or National Center for Missing and Exploited Children CyberTipline at www.cybertipline.org[http://www.cybertipline.org/.

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