Will Accused Pornographer Jeffery Dale Hunt Get Away with Abusing at Least 10 Lauderdale Children?

The Alleged Crime: In December 2016, Jeffery Dale Hunt was living in a relatively upscale ranch house on Wilson Avenue in North Florence. He worked for a home improvement center in Muscle Shoals and often "babysat" neighborhood children. Some have reported to us that two of his charges were grandchildren, but we have not verified this.

Then the Florence police received a tip that Hunt was taking photographs of these children in sexual situations. After an investigation of three months, the FPD arrested the 48 year old Hunt in March 2017 and charged him with possession of almost 2,300 sexually titillating images of children. 

Hunt's bail was set at $400,000.00. The accused pornographer was soon released on the condition that he wear an ankle monitor at all times. Now. the detectives in charge of Hunt's case began to solidify the evidence against him. A final count of sexual photos on Hunt's electronic devices turned up over 4,500 more images; in May 2018, a new indictment was handed down and Hunt was returned to jail. His bail was set at ten million dollars, reportedly the largest bond in Lauderdale County history.

Hunt's attorneys argued that the bond amount was excessive, and Lauderdale County Circuit Judge Gil Self agreed. He allowed the accused child pornographer to again go free on his original bond.

Tomorrow: Legal Wranglings