Southerland Sentenced to LIFE for Electronic Solicitation

District Attorney Summer Summerford announced Wednesday that Jeremiah Lamar Southerland was sentenced to LIFE in the state penitentiary by Circuit Judge Shaunathan Bell, Monday, October 2nd (2023), for Electronic Solicitation of a Child.   A jury trial was scheduled for August 21st (2023). 

Prior to the beginning of jury selection, Southerland entered a GUILTY plea to the charge – and because there was no agreed upon sentence length between Southerland and the State, the Defendant’s case was scheduled for a Sentencing Hearing on October 2, 2023.  Southerland had two prior felony convictions so his range of punishment was 20 years – Life.   At the hearing the State produced evidence of messages from Southerland that showed he attempted to arrange a meeting with who he thought was a 13 year old female – for sexual purposes.  At the conclusion of that hearing, Judge Bell gave Southerland the maximum sentence of LIFE. 

“Parents need to be very vigilant about who is communicating with their children through social media and text messages.  Children are our most important resource, and we will do all we can to make sure they are protected from predators like Southerland.  We appreciate the maximum sentence handed down by Judge Bell in this case,” stated Summerford. 

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Stanna Guice and Brady Burns.

District Attorney Summer Summerford