A Sumner County jury convicted a Hendersonville man Tuesday on dozens of charges related to child sexual abuse material following a two-day trial in Criminal Court, according to Sumner County District Attorney General Thomas Dean.
Jurors found 24-year-old Branden Michael Tompkins guilty of 34 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor for possessing images depicting children engaged in sexual activity.
Assistant District Attorneys Nathan Nichols and Parker Sewell prosecuted the case for the Sumner County District Attorney’s Office. According to prosecutors, the material was found on Tompkins’ cellphone during a search conducted by Portland Police detectives in February 2025 as part of an unrelated investigation.
Investigators said the images were in Tompkins’ possession while he was living near Hendersonville in late 2021.
Following the verdict, Judge Dee David Gay revoked Tompkins’ bond and ordered him into custody pending sentencing.
Tompkins is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 2, 2026. He faces up to 136 years in prison and is not eligible for probation, parole or other forms of early release under Tennessee law.
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