FBI seeks more victims of Lookout Mountain man accused of sexually abusing minors

LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN, Tennessee — The FBI says it is searching for more victims of a Lookout Mountain man accused of bringing minors across state lines to sexually abuse them.

A grand jury in a federal court in Knoxville on Wednesday indicted 71-year-old James Thompson on three counts of second-degree sexual abuse and sodomy.

The indictment alleges Thompson transported underage males across state lines to engage in criminal sexual activity.

According to the FBI, the victims are males between the ages of 10 and 15 who may have participated in various youth ring and hunting programs.

The attacks may have occurred in the 1990s up to the present day, the FBI says.

If you believe you have been a victim of James Thompson, or suspect someone has been, the FBI asks you to contact the Chattanooga office at (423) 265-3601 or report the case here.

The charges are the result of an investigation by the Chattanooga Child Exploitation Task Force, which involved the FBI, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office in Alabama and the Lookout Mountain Police Department in Tennessee.

Thompson appeared in court on Friday and pleaded not guilty to the charges.

He is in custody awaiting trial, which is scheduled for August 12.

If convicted, Thompson faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $350,000 and three years’ probation, according to the Justice Department.