Summer M. Summerford, District Attorney
May 26, 2023
For Immediate Release
Broyles Found Guilty of Electronic Solicitation of a Child
On May 24, 2023, following a 3-day trial by jury, Jeffrey Lane Broyles, 57, of Rainsville, was found guilty of Electronic Solicitation of a Child. A Cherokee County jury returned their verdict Wednesday afternoon following 25 minutes of deliberation. Deputy District Attorney Brady Burns and Assistant District Attorney Stanna Guice prosecuted the case, which was presided over by Circuit Judge Jeremy Taylor.
Broyles was arrested on October 17, 2022 after a month-long undercover investigation by members of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force in Cherokee County. Broyles was initially charged with Electronic Solicitation of a Child; further investigation led to additional charges in DeKalb County of Possession of Obscene Matter Containing Visual Depictions of Children. The DeKalb County charges remain pending and are set for trial in September.
Contributing to the investigation, arrest, and prosecution were officers with the Leesburg Police Department, the Etowah County Sheriff’s Office, the Tennessee Valley Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory, Fyffe Police Department, and the 9th Circuit District Attorney’s Office.
District Attorney Summer Summerford said, “In this case, officers working undercover intercepted a dangerous man as he initiated an online relationship with a 13-year-old girl. It began with text messaging through various social media apps, and eventually progressed to him seeking in-person meetings. In this instance, fortunately, no child was harmed, but that isn’t always the case. We hope this conviction will serve as a reminder that the danger of online sexual predators is very real and it can come from anywhere. Please take care to ensure your children remain aware of online dangers and be proactive in monitoring and discussing theseissues with them. We are extremely fortunate to have skilled, dedicated officers workingundercover online to protect our community – and are grateful that thanks to their efforts in this case, another predator has been brought to justice.”
Broyles is scheduled to be sentenced in June. Electronic Solicitation of a Child is a Class B felony offense, which carries a range of punishment between 2 and 20 years in the state penitentiary. The conviction will also render Broyles subject to the Alabama Sex Offender Registration and Community Notification Act (SORNA), requiring him to register as a sex offender for life.
