Guilty Plea Secured in Anderson County Child Exploitation Case

Brian Patrick Baum of Anderson County pleaded guilty on Monday, December 16, to child sexual exploitation, stemming from an April 2023 search warrant execution on Cox Lake Road in Belton. Investigators found evidence linking Baum to child sexual abuse material depicting victims aged six to thirteen, none of whom were local. Baum, who faced four counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor, received a six-year suspended sentence and five years of probation. He will also be required to register as a sex offender and undergo mental health counseling.