A social media influencer who gained a following sharing his picturesque Gulf Coast way of life along with his spouse on-line has been sentenced to 5 years behind bars for youngster pornography.
Georgia native Joshua David Stapleton, 39, acquired a 20-year sentence, with 5 years served in jail and one other 15 years on probation after pleading responsible to twenty counts of sexual exploitation of youngsters, in response to courtroom paperwork obtained by Fox 5 Atlanta.
Stapleton and his spouse run the “Gulf Coast Stapletons” social media account, which has racked up greater than 86,000 followers and over one million likes on TikTok and Instagram.
Investigators discovered that between 2018 and 2020, Stapleton downloaded photographs of prepubescent kids in sexually abusive conditions.
He was initially charged with 15 counts of kid porn possession, however was later indicted on 40 counts of sexual exploitation of youngsters.
He entered a non-negotiable plea deal through which he pleaded responsible to only 20 counts.
The “Gulf Coast Stapletons” way of life content material options the couple understanding, consuming meals and happening holidays.
Simply final week they posted a number of movies from their journey to Orange Seashore, Alabama.
Stapleton’s spouse, Brittani Morris Stapleton, has been making an attempt to right what she’s known as “misinformation” on-line about her husband after information of his case unfold.
The pair had been married in 2023 after he’d been charged.
“Josh was completely up entrance with me about all the pieces within the expenses, there have been no secrets and techniques,” she stated in a current TikTok publish.
She additionally pushed again on accusations that the pair had been projecting “pretend lives” on their social media accounts.
“There’s nothing pretend about it. It was our lives, we’re nonetheless completely happy, he and I’ve no points,” Brittani posted.
Stapleton is presently being held within the Bartow County Sheriff’s Workplace Jail.
