By Team Latestly
Joshua David Stapleton, 39, a Georgia native and social media influencer known for the “Gulf Coast Stapletons” account, has been sentenced to five years in prison and 15 years of probation after pleading guilty to 20 counts of sexual exploitation of children. Authorities found that between 2018 and 2020, Stapleton downloaded disturbing images of prepubescent children. Despite being initially indicted on 40 counts, he accepted a non-negotiable plea deal. His wife, Brittani Morris Stapleton, whom he married in 2023 after being charged, has defended him online, calling out “misinformation” and denying claims of faking their lifestyle. Their TikTok account had gained over 86,000 followers. Paedophile Recorded Videos of Kids at Disney World To Create AI Child Abuse Images, Says Report. Gulf Coast Influencer Gets 5 Years for Child Pornography NEW: Social media influencer whose husband was sentenced to prison for child exploitation, publicly defends him, threatens legal action. Extremely concerning. Brittani Morris Stapleton, the wife of Joshua David Stapleton, says she knew about the accusations against Stapleton… pic.twitter.com/cf6L4dkZbE — Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) July 5, 2025