RANKIN COUNTY, Miss. (WJTV) – A man pled guilty to sexual battery and gratification of lust in Rankin County.

Madison and Rankin Counties’ District Attorney Bubba Bramlett announced that Sonny Jacob Lee, 44, was sentenced to 40 years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC), with the first 25 years to be served without the possibility of early release or parole.

Once he has been released from prison, Lee will be placed on supervised probation for five years and must register as a sex offender. He was also ordered to have no contact with the victims and no unsupervised visitation with any child under the age of 18 unless otherwise ordered by a Chancellor or Youth Court.

On January 14, 2025, Pearl police responded to a call about a child sexual assault victim. They conducted an in-depth investigation. Bramlett said during the interview, the child disclosed details of the sexual abuse by Lee. Police said further investigation revealed that Lee had sexually abused two other children.