Terry Wayne Neel, of Coldwater, will spend 20 years behind bars for uploading and sharing child pornography on a social media outlet, Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood’s office announced Friday.

Neel, 58, was arrested last year and charged with one count of child exploitation for possession of child pornography after an investigation into his suspicious online activity. He was already on the Mississippi Sex Offender Registry for convictions in 1985.

Tate County Circuit Court Judge James McClure, III sentenced Neel to 40 years in prison Thursday with 20 to serve, 20 suspended, and five years post release supervision. He must pay $1,000 to the Victim’s Compensation Fund, $1,000 to the Mississippi Children’s Trust Fund, and must register as a sex offender.

“This sexual predator, having previously been convicted of unnatural intercourse, sexual battery, and touching a mentally incapacitated child for lustful purposes, is a prime example why we in law enforcement take child porn and sex offenses so seriously. They will not stop until we remove them from society,” General Hood said. “May God heal his victims and have mercy on his soul.”

This case was investigated by AG Cyber Crime Unit Investigator Wayne Lynch with assistance from the Tate County Sheriff’s Department. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant Attorney General Tina Herron.