<body><div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2a4dwG_1GkpOFKU00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2a4dwG_1GkpOFKU00" width="217" height="290" >Two trials were held in Jones County Superior Court last week with the end result being convictions of both defendants.A jury found Micah Barron Wheeler guilty of the crime of sexual exploitation of children in the first trial, which was held Oct. 27. A day later, a jury found Astin Wade Griffin guilty of a lesser-included charge of disorderly conduct. Wheeler was represented by defense attorney James Davis, and the case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Eesha Kumar. The trial took most of the morning, and the jury got the case that afternoon.Kumar focused on the law, which states a minor is anyone under 18 and is specific about the content on the visual medium. In this case, it was a phone video.“The law is in place to protect minors, even if they don’t know they need it,” she said in her closing.In his closing arguments, Davis argued the sex depicted on the video was consensual. The state did not disagree, but according to the law, that did not matter.Wheeler was on probation at the time the video was created. It was found on his phone by his probation officer, who alerted the district attorney’s office.The jury found Wheeler guilty of the charge of sexual exploitation of children, and he was sentenced by Superior Court Judge Terry Massey to 20 years with the first seven years served in confinement.In a separate probation hearing, Wheeler’s probation was revoked in full to the state penal system. The end date of his probation is March 14, 2030.GriffinAstin Griffin was charged with battery family violence, which is a misdemeanor. His trial was held Oct. 28 with Massey also presiding. The defendant opted to represent himself.Assistant District Attorney Cara Fiore was listed as the prosecutor in the case, but the majority of the evidence and arguments for the prosecution were handled by third-year law student Morgan Davis, overseen by Fiore.A misdemeanor trial is a bit different with only six jurors and one alternate required.At the conclusion of the trial, the jury returned with a decision of guilty to the lesser-included charge of disorderly conduct. Griffin was sentenced to 12 months confinement with credit for time served from Feb. 4, 2026 to Feb. 20, 2026.According to a report of his arrest by Jones County Sheriff Deputy Tabitha Coley, the charge of battery family violence was the result of a domestic dispute that became physical.</div></body>

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Two trials were held in Jones County Superior Court last week with the end result being convictions of both defendants. A jury found Micah Barron Wheeler guilty of the crime of sexual exploitation of children in the first trial, which was held Oct. 27. A day later, a jury found Astin Wade Griffin guilty of a lesser-included charge of disorderly conduct. Wheeler was represented by defense attorney James Davis, and the case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Eesha Kumar. The trial took most of the morning, and the jury got the case that afternoon.

Two trials, two defendants, same result

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Two trials were held in Jones County Superior Court last week with the end result being convictions of both defendants. A jury found Micah Barron Wheeler g

Two trials, two defendants, same result

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