DEKALB COUNTY, Ala. — A Rainsville man has been sentenced to 60 years in prison for charges related to child sexual abuse material, as announced by the District Attorney on Monday. This sentencing follows his conviction in August.

District Attorney Summer Summerford revealed that Valen Edwards was found guilty on multiple charges, including two counts of Possession of Obscene Matter, one count of Dissemination of Obscene Matter, and one count of Electronic Solicitation of a Child.

Edwards received the maximum sentences permissible under the law, as determined by Circuit Judge Andrew Hairston.

This case began in March 2021 when the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force was alerted by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. They received a tip indicating that a suspect had distributed an image containing child pornography via the app Discord.

• 10 years and $15,000 fine – 1 count Possession of Obscene Matter
• 10 years – 1 count Possession of Obscene Matter
• 20 years and $30,000 fine – Solicitation of a Child
• 20 years and $30,000 fine – Dissemination of Obscene Matter

In March of 2021, the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that a person had sent an image containing child pornography through the app Discord.

Summerford said ICAC members traced the IP address to a home on Lingerfelt Road in Rainsville.

In April, search warrants were obtained and executed on the address, which led to an interview with Edwards. During the interview, Edwards confessed to downloading and sending a picture of a child less than 10 engaged in a sexual act on the app Discord. Additionally, Edwards told officers about sexual conversations he had with an underage female.

After a phone extraction, it revealed that Edwards had a nude image of an underage female saved to his device, along with sexual conversations.

Edwards will now spend 60 years behind bars.