White County Man Arrested, Charged in TBI Child Sexual Abuse Material Investigation

WHITE COUNTY – Special agents assigned to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force have arrested and charged a Sparta man in connection to an ongoing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) investigation.

In December 2024, agents received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) concerning child sexual abuse material being sent to others by a Snapchat user, later identified as Timothy Rankin (DOB 7/1/1984).  Agents working alongside members of the 13^th Judicial District Attorney’s Office and the White County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at Rankin’s Sparta home.

Agents subsequently arrested Rankin, charging him with one count of Violation of Sexual Offender Registry.  White County deputies booked Rankin into the White County Jail, where, at the time of this release, he was being held on $15,000 bond. The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information about this case should contact 1-800-TBI-FIND.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is an ICAC affiliate of the Tennessee ICAC Task Force. Anyone with information about these cases or other cases of online child exploitation should contact the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Tipline at 1-800-TBI-FIND, TipsToTBI@tbi.tn.gov, or report via the NCMEC CyberTipline at CyberTipline.org.

Parents seeking additional information about cybercrime, child exploitation, and how best to safeguard their loved ones can visit http://www.NetSmartz.org for a variety of topical, age-appropriate resources.

The charges and allegations referenced in this release are merely accusations of criminal conduct and not evidence. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and convicted through due process of law.