54-Year-Old Child Molester Pleads Guilty to Attempted Escape and Simple Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer

Rankin County - Madison and Rankin Counties’ District Attorney Bubba Bramlett announced that Franky Lee Lovern, Sr., 54, of Brandon, pled guilty to Attempted Escape and Simple Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer. Judge Steve Ratcliff sentenced Lovern to two concurrent terms of five (5) years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections, the maximum sentence for each crime. These sentences will be served consecutively to the thirty (30) year sentence Lovern began serving after a Rankin County jury found him guilty of Sexual Battery of a Child and Gratification of Lust in October 2024.

These new convictions come as a result of Lovern's assault of a Rankin County Deputy and attempted escape as he was being taken into custody after the guilty verdicts were returned. While being handcuffed, Lovern tried to grab the deputy's gun, and a struggle ensued. Rankin County Sheriff’s deputies responded quickly and were able to subdue Lovern and prevent his escape.

"If it were not awful enough that this defendant stole the innocence of the child he molested, he compounded his disgusting behavior by attempting to grab a gun and escape from custody just outside the very doors where justice was returned,” stated District Attorney Bubba Bramlett. “We are grateful the deputy and his fellow officers reacted quickly to alleviate the threat. I thank the Rankin County Sheriff's Department for their bravery as they protected our judicial system that day."

Defendant:

Name: Franky Lee Lovern

Date of Birth: 06/13/1970

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